Book of Memories
by Washuu Puppet
Summary: Hermione has been acting very strange lately. Harry and Ron know why, they just need to find a way to fix everything. With the help of a new girl, they can finally get Hermione back to normal
1. Prologue Damn

"HERMIONE!"

            Ron had bellowed across the underground chamber as he watches Hermione fall to the ground on hands and knees only to throw-up immensely on the floor. She gags and coughs dry heaves. He wasn't quite sure what made her vomit so, but Malfoy was standing behind her with that oh-so-popular malicious grin on his face. Harry, Hermione, and himself were on another trail of evil in their life at Hogwarts. Hermione had left the common room earlier then they had, leaving a note with directions where to find her. She had located the secret lair where they suspected someone was making illegal potions that was slowly poisoning the whole school. Harry and Ron had just arrived in the chamber, which was hidden underneath a griffon statue on the 5th floor, third wing on your right; and thought they had got there too late. 

"You finally come, Potter. I was waiting for you, not this mudblood. Taught her a good lesson, don't you think." Malfoy rambles. Hermione's breath was getting a little unsteady and she was only coughing up more blood. She finally falls back on her knees and hugs her stomach. 

Harry starts to run forward, shortly followed by Ron. "What did you do to her, Malfoy!" Harry yells. He whips out his wand and gets ready to throw any curse he could at Malfoy.

Malfoy was quicker and sent both Harry and Ron on their back-sides twenty feet away. "I congratulate you on finding my little sanctuary, Potter. Too bad Granger found it first." Malfoy takes out a torch that was hanging on the wall. He makes a blow over Hermione's head with the handle and she falls to the floor unconscious. 

Harry and Ron get clumsily to their feet. "You'll pay for everything you've done to her! I'll kill you." Ron says.

Malfoy laughs at him and grabs Hermione's robes by the scruff. He starts to drag her along as he pushes a secret switch on the wall to open a door. "I'd like to see you try." 

            The door closes and Malfoy and Hermione disappear behind it. Harry dashes to the wall and tries pushing the switch. It didn't work. He pounded on the wall a few times, but nothing prevailed. The vomit was starting to make the small square room smell. Ron turned to leave up the skinny staircase that took them down.

"Don't go yet, Ron. We still might be able to get through!" Harry bangs on the wall some more.

"It's no use, Harry. Malfoy got her." Ron sadly admits. "I just feel bad that we couldn't save her when we had the chance."

"I know how you feel," Harry leans up against the wall the regain his breath. "But that's not the way to look at it! We can still save her."

"But who knows what Malfoy is doing to her, Harry!?" Ron yells. "Who knows! But I do know something. If I ever see that bastard again, I am going to pound the living shit outta him." 

He turns and finally leaves up the steps with Harry behind him at his own slow pace. Harry was mad about Malfoy's success. He was furious. But somehow, he just knew that Ron was angrier then he was. Harry knew that Ron could have a foul mouth at times, it was nothing new. He just said it with such enthusiasm, you could tell he was going to keep that promise. Ron goes to bed immediately, Harry joins him about five minutes later. When Harry got up to the dormitories, Ron had already pulled all the curtains around his bed, wanting to be alone. Harry did the same.

"Damn." Ron whispers to himself in the middle of the night. 

"Damn." Harry agrees.

"What did we do wrong, Harry?" Ron asks quietly.

"Huh?"

"Why does Malfoy hate us so much? Just because we hate him?" Ron finishes.

"I guess." Harry rolls over and tries to get some sleep, mostly because none was coming to him and he had a Transfiguration test tomorrow. "Don't worry, Ron. We'll get Hermione back."

Ron doesn't say another word until morning.


	2. Part 1 The Name Game

"Oy, Potter! Weasley! You can't sleep 'til noon!" It was Seamus and Dean shouting in their ears.

"Whatisit?"  Harry mumbles and slurs his words.

"You got about twenty minutes before first class starts." Dean says. "It's nearly 9:30." 

Ron sits up in bed and flips the sheets off of him. He gets dressed silently and keeps on nagging Harry to get up as well. Harry never saw him in such a hurry. Harry then starts to laugh. Ron throws a pillow at him.

"What you laughing at!?" He demands. He checks his pants to see if his fly was open and then checked to see if he had his sweater on backwards or not. 

"Ron, it's Saturday. No classes." Harry says bluntly through his last chuckle.

"Seamus!" Ron curls up his sleeve and starts to head for the steps. 

"It's okay, we should have known they'd joke like that." Harry replies and gets out of bed finally to get dressed himself. 

            Harry and Ron leave the boy's dormitories together and head down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Ron was saying how he wanted to go to the library to look up some history of potions when they saw Malfoy walking in-between Crabbe and Goyle towards the Great Hall as well. Ron instantly got caught up in his rage again and lunged at his back, tackling him to the floor. Harry was right behind him, just trying to pull them apart. They didn't need a Professor to see them fighting like this. Harry successfully convinces Ron to get off of Malfoy who stands up unsteadily with blood running from his nose. 

"What's your problem, Weasley!?" Malfoy says angrily, acting as if yesterday didn't happen at all. Harry hears Ron whisper 'bastard' under his breath. Malfoy wipes away some of the blood with his long sleeve and looks at it with disgust. "What _is_ your problem!?"

"You darn right now what you did." Ron spat. 

"Stop pretending, Malfoy." Harry backs Ron up.

"What you talking about, Potter?" Malfoy replies. "You think I have something that belongs to you?"

"You did something I can't forgive you for!" Ron swipes his arm out and points at Malfoy. "You hurt Herm—."  Ron was instantly cut short by an on-coming voice.

"What is going on?" 

Harry's jaw drops. "Oh my lord."

            Someone was squeezing their way through the crowd to see what was happening in the middle. Harry looks over to Ron, who was visibly sweating all over his face and arm shaking. Malfoy didn't seemed disturbed at all. The girl who emerged finally was none other then Hermione. She looked like she always did. Same bushy brown hair and bright brown eyes. She stands in-between Malfoy and the two boys, looking back and forth. She looks at Malfoy first, then sets her eyes on Ron, who was now pointing at her instead.

She cocks her head to the side. "Who are you?" She glances towards Harry. "Are you two new students?"

"What is going on over there!" It was Professor McGonnagal.

 The crowd scatters quickly and shuffles into the Great Hall for their breakfast. Malfoy wipes his nose again with his sleeve and follows the rest. Hermione does as well, staring back at Harry and Ron blankly. Ron falls to his knees, still with his sweaty complexion. Harry does the same. He felt so cold all a sudden. He hears Ron gulp next to him.

"She…she…" Ron stutters. "She's okay."

"No," Harry says with difficultly. "She's not."

Harry and Ron look at each other and say in unison: "She doesn't remember us."

            The look that Harry saw on Ron's face was terror, and he could pretty well bet the same look was on his face as well. Ron's eyebrows slowly furrow and his teeth gradually clench. He stands up and grabs his wand out of his pocket and aims it at one of the Knights in Armor that stand along the hallway. He double thinks and puts his wand back, but with the same look of unconditional ire on his face.  He goes into the Great Hall, and Harry follows, gripping the small wooden handle of his wand handy. They take their normal seats at the end of the Gryffindor Table and start to put stuff on their plate. Hermione was sitting across from them as usual, the same dumbfound look on her face. Ron didn't seem to care. He was eating unusually fast though.

"Excuse me." Hermione starts quietly.

"Shut up." Ron replies.

Hermione curls her nose at him. She turns to Harry. "How are you doing? Do you like it here so far?"

Harry doesn't answer. He didn't like the tone of her voice. It sounded like she was treating him like a foreign exchange student who didn't know any English. 

"Not the talkative bunch, are you." Hermione giggles.

Ron pounds his fist on the table. "What's my name, Hermione."

"How do you know mine?" Hermione asks astonished.

"What is my name, Hermione!" Ron repeats.

"How am I supposed to know?" Hermione answers. "It's not like I've known you forever!" She takes a break to laugh out of the side of her mouth with her hand covering the rest. "Truly, you looked so bright when I saw you in the hall just a minute ago, but you honestly have no potential here."

Ron closes his eyes and tries to cool down. "Just answer my question, if you will." 

"Like I said, How am I supposed to know?" Hermione then decides to ignore him. "Hey Neville, could you pass me the bacon." 

"Sure," Neville slides over the plate and Hermione helps herself.

Harry leans over and whispers into Ron's ear. "This doesn't make sense. She remembers Neville of all people, but not us."

Ron's eyebrow was twitching. "Malfoy."

"What?" Harry asks.

"Malfoy." Ron repeats and quickly glances over to the Slytherin table. "I ain't done with you, Draco." 

"Oh, you know Draco?" Hermione finally talks to him.

Ron's attention is officially bought. "You remember Malfoy?"

"For goodness sake, his name is Draco." Hermione replies. "He's a nice guy, once you get to know him. Of course he isn't the best looking thing here, but at least he's somewhat smart."

"How can you say that!" Ron stands up, but his voice was still shaky. "He's the one that did this to you!"

"Sit down!" Hermione yells hoarsely. "You'll attract attention."

"Sit down? Sit down!" Ron bellows and swings his legs over the bench seat and readies to leave. "What happened to you Hermione? Tell me!"

Hermione laughs again. "What are you talking about."

Ron stares her down for a second. "My name is Ron Weasley." He then walks out of the Great Hall. "I'll see you in the common room." He adds for Harry. 

Hermione giggles to herself. "Weasley. That's a funny last name."

Harry hurdles back over the seat as well. "What _has_ happened to you?" He leaves as well and goes to the common room.

            He finds Ron sitting on the sofa in front of the fire with his head in his hands. He had his legs spread out wide and was leaning over. His black robe was on the floor as well as his gold and red striped tie. Harry sits on the large arm chair next to him. But he couldn't sit still. He gets up and takes a throw pillow and throws it across the room. He does it again, but nothing could get the rage out that he had towards Malfoy at that moment. Ron never moved. 

"Ron," Harry said.

Ron finally looked up and Harry was shocked. His eye whites were pink and stood out behind his blue eyes. He was crying? That was the first time he saw a tear being shed from his eyes. Ron takes a deep breath and shakes his head in silent shame. 

"It's okay Ron." Harry reassures.

Ron forces a laugh. "Promise not to laugh?"

"Yes."

"Has the world ended, Harry?" Ron asks timidly.

"Pretty dang close, Ron. Pretty dang close." Harry replies and throws another pillow with less vigor. 

"Don't tell anyone." Ron says. Harry knew he meant many things by that. Tell nobody that he saw him crying, and tell nobody that Hermione has forgotten them. 

"Safe with me." Harry answers. 

"Feel like a game of Wizard's Chess?" Ron said.

"Yes, I do." Harry drags out the set they kept down in the common room and set it up on a table and begin to play. 

Harry's knight was crushed and Ron laughs. "Mind if I pretend all of your pieces are Malfoy?" 

"No fair," Harry replies. "You'll win easier that way."

"Precisely." Ron clears away the broken knight and calls out his next move. They ended up playing three games worth.


	3. Part 2 Don't Kill Me

            That night before dinner, Harry was helping Ron search through his trunk. After those games of Wizard Chess, the rest of the school day when oddly by. Trying to avoid Malfoy's sneers along with Hermione's stupidity towards her true past, was quite a chore. At lunch, they sat down to devise a play, or many, on how to get Hermione's memory back. 

            "How about we hit her over the head a couple times." Ron had suggested.

            "You don't want to hurt her, do you?" Harry said.

            "No."

            "Then that should be crossed of the list." Replied Harry. "Well, so far, we have: 1, get the answer outta Malfoy. 2, Bug her to hell about our previous years together. 3, Ignore it and mope about it for the rest of our lives. 4, Picture memory. 5 and final so far, get to know the new her over again. But that wouldn't be nearly the same no matter what we try."

            "That's sadly true." Ron admitted. "Harry, the best one I think we have so far is number four."

            Harry rechecked the parchment list. "Picture memory. Ron, I haven't any photos."

            "Leave that to me." Ron replied.

            That's what they were looking for in Ron's trunk now. Pictures. Both of them rarely brought a camera with them to Hogwarts but Dean did. He took some photos of them and gave the final result to them to keep. Harry owned about two, but kept them at home. Ron brought his along, obviously. They shifted though many bags of sweets and joke apparel from Hogsmeade and many pairs of socks. Finally, Ron pulls out a large envelope with 'From Dean' written on it. He opened it and smiled, then showed Harry. It was a picture of a typical night in the common room. He, Ron, and Hermione were sitting around one of the tables with their piles of homework. Dean had used that special solution while developing, so the picture was moving. Hermione, prepared with notes and many books, was rolling her eyes at Ron who was trying to balance a pen between his nose and upper lip. Harry was pretending to study out of the Chudley Cannons book Ron had given him. 

            "It's so surprising." Harry says. "She's been like this for only one day, and I already miss her terribly." 

            "Same."

            "Think this will work?" Harry asked.

            "Hope so." Ron takes out another photo. He does a cross between a laugh and a sigh. "Don't know if I could take it another day."

            "Same."

            The photo was of Hermione all fancied up for the Yule Ball before she left to be with Victor Krum. 

            "Dean must've taken this before we came up to get ready. I've been meaning to thank him still." Said Ron. He had a smile on his face that had a certain curve, Harry never had seen before.

                                                                                    ****

            "Hermione wait!"

            "Oh, leave me alone. What was your name again? Wheezy?" Hermione replies over her shoulder. Ron was getting upset.

            "Listen, Hermione." Ron catches up with her and grabs the hood of her robes. "I just have something to show you."

            "I don't want to see it." Hermione spats.

            Harry runs up the stairs to the fourth floor and sees Ron and Hermione. It was almost after hours, so they had to hurry this up. Ron had Hermione by the arm and looked quite furious. So did she, with her eyes huge and her nose upturned. Ron must've not known Harry had arrived, for he said something that he'd consider personal.

            "I'll do anything I can to have you remember. Because, Hermione, I'll die the day you completely forget me. Please don't kill me."

            Harry smiles to himself, "I knew it." He says quietly.

            Hermione had the weirdest look upon her face. A mix of emotions; hatred and confusion and almost sadness. She looks Ron as much as she could in the eye and says slowly, "I don't know you, so please get out of my way and out of my face."

            Ron lets go of her arm and waves his to the side, gesturing towards her passageway. Harry could feel his whole body shaking, but he didn't know what it was from. He watched Hermione's bushy brown hair sway back and forth as she walks away down the dark hall without saying another word. Ron goes over to the wall and rests his arm on it, then puts his head on top of that. Harry comes over and Ron finally notices.

            "Damn you Malfoy." Ron whispers. "Damn you." He takes a recovery breath. "She just killed me, Harry."

            Harry didn't know what to say to him. Of course he's knows how he feels. He's had a broken heart before, but he could never really see Ron 'loving' somebody in the first place, for some reason. All Harry could think of at the moment was Cho Chang and how awkward she made him feel inside. He regained thought of what just happened and looked back at Ron who was still leaning into the wall head-first. Ron looked to be sleeping, but he was frowning. A small clicking sound rang throughout the corridor and Ron springs off the wall angrily and walks hastily into the shadows. He returns dragging the scruff of someone's robes. It was a little girl. She had strawberry-blonde hair and her eyes were shut tightly in fear. Ron tosses her slightly into the hallway and she regains balance.

            She bows her head hurriedly. "I'm so very sorry. Please don't harm me."

            Ron advances on her with a clenched fist. "How could you just stand there and listen to everything!?"

            "Ron, ease up!" Harry says. "It's not that big of a deal."

            "It was to me." Ron snarls.

            "I'm so very sorry! So very sorry." The girl repeats, straightening and bowing over and over. "I'd no intention of intruding on you three. I was just returning to my common room dormitories from the washroom after dinner and got a little caught up. I didn't want to pass you because I thought you'd be angry with me if I did. You," she motions her head towards Ron. "seemed to be having a very important conversation. I indeed am sorry. I was just trying to give you a little time with Miss Granger and then I just…"

            "You just decided to eavesdrop!" Ron bellows.

            "No, sir, I meant not to be dropping any eaves." The girl answers. "If I may comment, I must tell you that I am gravely sorry about your predicament. 'Tis a troublesome pickle, 'tis it not?"

            "You know about Hermione?" Harry asks.

            "I in fact do know that you three are like peas in a pod. You are very tightly bonded. I found it quite strange yesterday when she ignored you all through class and didn't respond to your commentary. I just was confused on how it happened." The young girl says.

            "Class?" Ron said.

            "I am in the fifth year as well, only I belong in Ravenclaw house. I am in your morning charms class." The girl replies. "You may not notice me, because I tend to stay quiet and sit in the corner. Professor Flitwick doesn't call on me often."

            Harry had to shake his head a few times, for he was lost in her stunning olive-green eyes. "What's your name?"

            "Sir Potter, my name is Laurel DeGrope." She bows her head again.

            Ron chuckles. "Sir Potter."

            "Nice to meet you." Harry says and glares at Ron. 

            "Same with me." Laurel said. "Nice to meet you to, Ronald."

            Harry laughs out loud. "Ronald."

            "You shut up." Ron scowls.

            "Anyways," Laurel continues. "I do request you accept my apologies. I am truly sorry about all this."

            Ron nods his head slightly. "Yeah, but wait." Ron goes up to Laurel and stares her down. "Would you help me?"

            "Help you?" Laurel questions. "How could I?"

            "Hermione has been poisoned by a special potion, that's all I can assume. You seem like one of those smart types. Do you know your way around the cauldron?" Ron asks.

            Laurel swallows nervously. "I am indeed strongest with my potion making then any other art, but I have no idea how I could help you."

            "Anything will help." Harry joins Ron. 

            Ron takes the photo of Hermione all dressed up out of his pocket. He looks at the picture image of her spinning in her navy blue dress and fixing her hair. He then shows it to Laurel. "I don't really want to explain it at the moment, but…"

            Laurel looks up at Ron's face and then looks at the ground, blushing slightly and smiling. "I understand, Ronald." She giggles with excitement. "With that motivation, I am more willing to help you now then I was before. Please accept my apology for my hesitation. I shouldn't have ever considered saying no."

            Ron and Harry gain up on Laurel in a group hug. "Thank you!"

            Laurel flushes a brilliant shade of magenta. "Oh, my." She sighs. Then she starts to giggle again. "Terribly sorry."

            Over on the other side of Laurel, Harry heard Ron whisper, "I am revived…for now."

            Harry thought of Cho again uncontrollably. He then laughs to himself after they left Laurel to go to her common room and they to theirs. 

            "What's so funny, Harry?" Ron asks.

            Harry rolls his eyes. "Long live hormones." 

            The two boys would be meeting up with Laurel tomorrow afternoon in the library to do some research on ancient potion making and the subtle art that they both truly hated, and needed. 


	4. Part 3 Baby Steps

            "Here we go!" 

Laurel drops a stack of at least eight thick books on one of the library tables. She hops over the bench and sits down across from Ron and Harry who were still a little sleepy.  Laurel yawns herself as she picks up one of the books and examines the title. She flips to the index and picks a chapter to being to read. She shoves the stack at Harry and Ron who grab one hesitantly. 

"I don't blame you two for being sleepy. I am too." Laurel confesses. "It is eight in the morning, but we need to get some research done. If we find a counter potion to cure Hermione, you'll have her back that much quicker."

"We understand." Harry and Ron reply together. Ron's head was falling every once in a while. Sometimes he barely caught it before it hit the table. 

"What time did you two go to bed?" Laurel asks.

"I don't remember." Harry says.

"I went to bed at about eleven-thirty, but I didn't fall asleep then. I think I didn't close my eyes until at least quarter-to-two." Ron admits.

"That would explain things a little." Laurel sighs. 

"What do we look for anyway? I don't want to read this whole book." Ron picks up one of the books that looked to be seven-hundred-plus pages long. 

"Look in the index under Brain Brews. Or there should be something similar to look under." Laurel says.

"Couldn't we just use a counter spell to the Memory Charm?" Harry asks.

"No, that wouldn't work. Once someone uses the Memory Charm on someone, they forget everything and it can't come back. Not even with a counter curse. Not if used right away when it's being cast, that is. Basically, only the Disarm Spell." 

"You know too much." Ron mumbles.

"I can't help that." Laurel says. "My sister has been graduated from Hogwarts for almost three years now. My parents want me to be as much of a success that she was."

"That's like me. I have to be just like Bill or Charlie." Ron moans. "I rather be myself."

"I agree with you. I'm nothing like Rebecca, but still I have to become her." Laurel rolls her eyes. "You're lucky to be an only child, Harry."

"I wouldn't know." Harry said. 

"The Clarity Draff." Ron announces from one of the books about twenty minutes later. "Rids the mind of poisons and renews."

"But wouldn't that make her loose the memory she had before she forgot us?" Harry questions. "Sounds too risky."

"What's the page number?" Laurel asks as she takes out her quill and ink.

"345 to 349 of Cauldron's Cataclysm." Ron replies.

"I know it may be risky, Harry. But we have to find as many potions as we can. That's just one of our many choices to come." Laurel explains and she writes the information down. 

Laurel sighs out of the side of her mouth causing her half-grown-out bangs to fluff. They had been sitting in that library for two hours. It was now ten o'clock and they had almost skipped breakfast. Good thing they decided to do this on a day with no morning classes. The list of possible potions grew to seven and some were quiet embroidered. The most farfetched one they had was the Nostalgia Notion. Which basically washed out the entire brain and left the person as dumb as a babbling squirrel. 

"Bloody brilliant, that one." Ron embellishes. 

Laurel drops her quill. "I'm sorry, but these books are shit."

"You said that a little loud." Harry looks around the library to see other students staring at her, as well as the librarian, Madam Pince. 

"Maybe Hagrid could help us." Ron suggests. "He did help us with the Chamber of Secrets. Still haven't told him how nice it was to send us to that Aragog. Bloody spiders." Of course, he was being sarcastic on the last part. 

"Hagrid wouldn't be a bad idea, though." Harry says. "Plus, a plain visit wouldn't be bad."

"You guys visit Hagrid? Oh, that sounds…fun." Laurel says. "I've never done it, of course, but I could always do something new." 

"Let's go then and leave these dirty books." Ron closes the one he was reading and gets up to leave. Laurel and Harry follow. 

They start walking down the semi-deserted hallways and continue to chat on what they found in the books in which they researched. Up ahead, they could hear a familiar shout. It was Hermione's voice. It mentioned Neville, so he was probably asking her out again. Ron and Harry mumble something about him longing too much, poor kid. Neville passed them eventually when a mighty red face.

"Why don't you go and talk to Hermione." Laurel suggests.

"She won't listen. We've already tried that." Ron says.

"Yeah." Harry agrees. "She gets all pissed for no reason."

"Oh, I see. So, to put it into my sort of language: You guys seem to set off her PMS a little early." Laurel says, then laughs at Harry and Ron's blushed and wide-eyed expressions. "Oh, this is too much fun. Curse being in an all women house. I get too used to saying that stuff around them, they don't care."

"Go ahead." Ron's voice cracks.

Harry laughs. 

"Shut up."

"You guys both shut up!" Laurel says. "Hermione's coming." 

"What do we do?" Ron asks.

"Oh, that's easy! You just got to force it!" Laurel laughs and grabs Ron by the shoulder and pushed him out into the corridor as she and Harry hide behind a statue. 

From behind the Boar Statue, Harry and Laurel could hear quite well, but couldn't see too fine. They heard Ron say his hello, but Hermione only gasped in astonishment. A loud crack echoed through the corridor and they saw Hermione stomp off. Ron slowly comes behind the statue with a very large scowl on his face. His cheek was unbelievably red. The crack must have been Hermione slapping him.

"Thank you…Laurel." Ron growls.

"What?" Laurel said in a tone of how-could-I-have-done-anything-wrong?. 

"Thanks to you, Hermione now must hate me more then ever." Ron goes on.

"Why?" Laurel repeats.

"When you pushed me out into the hallway…" Ron pauses at embarrassment. "You made me accidentally touch her."

"So?" Laurel says. "You grabbed her arm, big deal."

"No, Laurel!" Ron bellows. Harry understood and cupped both his hands and placed them on Ron's chest. Ron bats them away. "Don't do that!"

"Oh!" Laurel gasped and put a hand in front of her mouth, then giggled. "Well, anyways…you never know. Some girls like that." Laurel stands up from her crouching position and starts to leave. "I'll see you two tonight after dinner in the library so we can continue our little search." With that she was gone.

Ron was still rubbing her cheek. "Bloody Hell, she's dirty."

"She wasn't like that last night." Harry recalls.

"Well, she said she was from an all women house." Ron says. 

Harry and Ron get up as well and head back for the Gryffindor Common Room. It was actually really silent on the way up. Harry missed Hermione, but he kind of liked this man-bonding time. They could really talk about stuff they couldn't around Hermione. A certain question was just itching his brain. 

"Ron," 

"Yeah? What?"

Harry paused and kept quiet. "What was it like?" 

"What?" Ron looked at him weird.

Harry laughed. "What did they feel like?"  
            "Harry!" Ron blushed immensely. 

Harry laughs again. "It was just a question." 

Ron points his finger. "Don't every ask me that question again."

"You liked it, didn't you?" Harry smiled.

Ron bites his lip. "Damnit."

They both crack up in laughter. After a while, "No really, what did they feel like?" Harry asks again.

Ron runs up the flight of stairs and looks back down at Harry. "Feel your own."

The two boys only laugh harder. 

That night after dinner, Harry and Ron meet Laurel in the library once more to look things over a second time. 

"I'm sorry 'bout earlier." Laurel says to Ron. "Didn't mean to push you, ahem, into Hermione." 

"It's a…that's okay." Ron says. "You kind of started a trend."

"What?" Laurel asked confused.

"Harry was feeling his up in the common room." Ron laughs.

"Was not!" Harry said shocked.

Ron giggles for a second. "Just kidding, just kidding." 

Laurel blushes, making her olive green eyes stick out even more. "Okay, then…Hehe…The best one we have is the Reminiscence Remedy. It's the closest to our situation but it will take a while to make, plus, it will be a gradual recovery. We have to help the patient along, it says. The book says the shortest time it has been completed was two months."

"This is going to take way too long!" Ron says.

"I know, but it's all we got." Laurel sighs.

"We have to pick something, Ron." Harry replies. "The quicker we pick out a potion, the quicker we get Hermione back."

Ron chocks up. "I know."

"Just think of it as baby steps, Ronald." Laurel puts a kind smile on her face. "Our feet are too small and our legs are too stubby. We're just learning and it takes many tries to get across one room. We don't have the adult hands to guide us. We're doing this on our own. There has to be patience, dedication, and a yearning to succeed."

Ron takes out the picture of Hermione from the Yule Ball out of his robe's pocket and watches her pretend to dance with an imaginary man. "I got two of those. I just need someone to teach me patience." 

"We'll get through this." Harry says. "Best Friends never truly 'break up'."

"You're right. Well, Laurel, what do we need for this potion." Ron perks up.

Laurel smiles at the job and starts to list the ingredients from the book down on a piece of parchment and then sticks it in her pocket. "We'll just stop in the pharmacy at Hogsmeade next weekend and pick some of this stuff up. We already have some of the ingredients in are normal potions supplies."

"Wicked." 


	5. Part 4 All I Can Say

            "How much bloody shit does this potion take?" Ron sighs loudly behind a large bag he carried in his arms.

            "Too much." Harry replied.

            Laurel shakes her head as she checks her pockets for coins. "Good thing the pharmacy had reasonable prices. Come on, I still have enough for some Butterbeers. It's on me."

            The three head to the Three Broomsticks and have a seat by a round table next to the window. They order three butterbeers and Laurel takes out the ingredient list to check that they had everything. Only one ingredient was missing.

            "We need something of the person we want Hermione to remember." Laurel says. "That's you two."

            "This is vaguely familiar." Ron moans. "This is the Polyjuice Potion all over again!"

            "You two made a Polyjuice potion?" Laurel said surprised.

            Harry glares at Ron. "Shut it."

            "Sorry…"

            Laurel checks it off. "I know the easiest way to do that."

            "Yeah, we just put a few of our hairs in it." Ron says.

            "No," Laurel rejects. "Do you want her to spit it out from the grittiness?"

            "Then what are we going to use?" Harry asks.

            Laurel replies simply, "Blood. It will mix in very easily because it is another fluid."

            "You want our blood?" Ron said.

            "Unless you have a better idea." Laurel snaps. "It'll be just a little prick. You don't faint at the sight of blood, do you Ronald?"

            "No."

            "Harry?"

            "Me neither."

            "Good." Laurel smiles. "It is half way complete."

            "There's one problem still left." Ron points out. "We may have the potion ready, but how will we get Hermione to drink it? She wants nothing to do with Harry and I."

            "Damn, forgot about that." Harry moans.

            "I recall you two saying that Hermione thinks you're new to Hogwarts." Laurel says. "So, maybe you could ask to be tutored. She's quite the bookworm to being with."

            "Sounds too simple." Ron ponders.

            "It is." Laurel replies. "The hard part will be the recovery effort. We need to coax Hermione along. We have to get Hermione to want to remember you two." Laurel laughs. "And if all else fails, you should try to put on the charm."

            "Ron's job." Harry points.

            "You gotta try too!" Ron yells. "I'm horrible at seduction."

            Laurel laughs out loud. "Seduction, you call it? Ron, I think you're taking this whole thing a tid-bit too drastically. I mean, we're trying to get Hermione back in sync, not back in bed."

            Ron glows red. "I didn't mean it that way…!"

            "Kind of set yourself up though." Harry says, trying not to laugh. 

            "What about you and Cho, Harry?" Ron asks out of anger.

            "Do not even ask. Do not even go there." Harry turns to look out the window. 

            "Gosh, look at you two!" Laurel sighs loudly. "So Ron said something stupid without thinking."

            "Hey."

            "It's true, Ronald, don't try to get out of it." Laurel says. "Look, I know how you two feel about Hermione. It's obviously getting to your heads. It's no reason to be at each other's throats. You two aren't the only one with problems of that kind." 

            Harry looks back at Laurel with concern. She was blushing and trying to hide her red cheeks in her hands as she leans on the table with her elbows. Harry wondered what she meant by that, though it was sort of evident. He downed the rest of his butterbeer as he watches Hermione walk in the door with Lavender. Ron perks up as well, the tips of his ears grow pink. Hermione looks at them for a minute and then continues to talk with her friend. 

            "Take all the blood you need, Laurel." Says Harry.

            "Drain me dry." Ron adds.

            Laurel comes back to reality, shakes her head a few times, fans herself, and then tucks her bangs behind her ears. "Okay. We'll get started when we get back to Hogwarts. Where are we going to brew it, where nobody will find out."

            Harry and Ron look at each other. Harry lifts one of his eyebrows. "Thinking what I am?"

            "It's the best bet. Worked before." Ron replied.

            "You two have something?" Laurel asks.

            Harry leans in and whispers. "Moaning Myrtle's bathroom."

            Laurel curls up her nose. "That place is awful. I made the mistake of going there in the first year."

            "We made the mistake the second year." Ron says.

            "Why were you in the girl's lavatory?" Laurel asks surprised.

            Harry whispers again, "Polyjuice Potion. Hermione recommended the place."

            "Smart girl." Laurel says more to herself then to Harry and Ron. "Good idea though. We'll start as soon as possible."

            "First," Ron interrupts. "We need to get Hermione near enough to us for her to get to know us better then she 'does'."

            "That could work." Harry nods his head. "The tutoring thing. I could ask for help in my History. I don't really need it, but it's an excuse."

            "And, seeing I grew up in the magical world. I can ask for help in my Muggle Studies." Ron says like a breeze. 

            "All I can say is good luck." Laurel replies. 

*****

            Moaning Myrtle was sitting on one of the sinks when Harry and Ron entered her bathroom. After the return from Hogsmeade, Laurel went up to the lavatory to get the potion started, while the two boys tried to find Hermione to convince her to tutor them. The weeping ghost perked up as she spotted her two old friends come in.

            She giggles. "Hullo, Harry."

            Harry tries not to sigh, but smile. "Hullo, Myrtle."

            "Did you two find Hermione?" Laurel asked from the floor with her little cauldron and stand.

            "Yeah, we did." Ron answered. "She would talk to Harry."

            "She was still a little steamed at Ron." Harry adds.

            "Oh," Laurel said. "Well, what did she say?"

            "She was very hesitate and a little snotty." Ron remarks. 

            "Did she agree?" Laurel asks.

            "Surprisingly, yes." Harry replies. "She said that it wouldn't be very courteous of her to leave two exchange students questioning over simple work."

            Laurel looks to the ceiling and laughs. "Oh boy, Draco sure is stupid, isn't he? He made this potion obviously to upset you two, but he isn't doing a very good job of covering it up. A good, devious little person would know well enough to make a potion that wasn't so strong and the victim wouldn't have much changed about him or herself. You guys can tell Hermione is deranged, not doubt. Some planning he went through. I mean, you two don't even look foreign! You don't even have American accents, or something. So why would you be exchange students? It's an insult to Hermione's intelligence." 

            "How long until the potion is finished?" Harry asks.

            "It will take about three days, not long. We won't add the blood until an hour before it has to be used. The three days start tomorrow." Laurel replies.

            "Good, that gives us time to have Hermione get used to us and the studying." Ron says. "Enough time to get her to at least trust us in offering her something to drink."

            "Like I said, I think this potion made her a little light in the head, if you know what I mean. Getting her to drink this should be no problem." Laurel said.

            "For you, maybe. But getting her to trust Harry and me." Ron points out.

            "Oh."

            "After we get Hermione back to normal," Harry ponders. "How are we going to get Malfoy caught for all those elixirs he's got kept in that chamber?"

            "Another chamber, is it?" Myrtle says dully as usual. 

            "We can always ask Hermione, if she'll remember anything." Ron replies. 

            "Um," Laurel hums unsteadily. "We need to have Hermione drink at least sixteen ounces of this stuff."

            Harry and Ron look at her wide-eyed. "You're off your rocker."

            "No, I'm not." Laurel shakes her head. "I know it sounds insane, but it's what the book calls for. Unless we have some harmless way to flavor this up a bit, we might have some trouble getting her to drink all of it."

            "Why is this so damn hard!?" Ron kicks one of the sink pipes.

            "Hey, don't kick my sink." Myrtle spits.

            "I'll kick you!" Ron yells. "Wait! I can't!"

            Myrtle wails inhumanly loud and soars over to a cubical only to dive into the toilet, splashing water out into the small hallway. 

            "We'll taste test a drop before we give it to her." Harry suggests.

            Laurel sighs. "It may be taking a bet, but it's the only thing we got right now." She takes a peppermint out of her pocket. "I'll add this…and we'll taste a glob on the third day as well. Let it begin." Laurel drops the mint into the potion and it hisses as the small candy sinks to the bottom of the cauldron, turning the potion a creamy red-orange. "Did you set up a date for the tutorial?"  
            "During lunch period in the library." Harry replies.

            "All I can say is good luck." Laurel repeats herself from that afternoon. 

            "That's all you can say?" Ron asks.

            Laurel eyes him for a second, then looks back at her creamy concoction. "And God Bless Peppermints." 


	6. Part 5 Boys and Girls

            The black veil that covered Hermione's face flapped in the wind as she looked out the car window back on her life. She didn't smile; she didn't frown. There wasn't a trace of emotion upon her face. No tears of joy or of sorrow. Just a blank and pale glance. She reaches out a small hand and waves it back and forth slowly. Finally, something leaked from her eye. Not a tear, but at drop of blood, stained her cheek. The car tire went into a hole and splashed mud. Hermione slides back into the backseat without another look back. 

            Ron watches absentmindedly. The wind sighs and calls his name over and over. It gets stronger and stronger and he feels himself swept away, farther away from the car that carried Hermione away.

            "Ronald!" 

            Ron opens his eyes and focuses on a bunch of print. He had fallen asleep in a book again. He mumbles to himself and straightens up, still not fully aware of where he is. "Stupid girl, sometimes I just hate you."

            "Gosh, love you too, Ronald." Laurel says.

            Ron finally comes to his senses. He was in the library with Laurel and Harry. "Oh, I didn't mean you. I just had the stupidest dream."

            "You wouldn't have stupid dreams, if you didn't fall asleep." Laurel replies.

            "You got drool all over the page." Harry points out. Ron quickly wipes it off with his sleeve in embarrassment. "What was this stupid dream, then?"

            "Nothing too important." Ron mutters. "Just made me realize how ridiculous this is."

            Laurel laughs. "I love a man in denial."

            "Dare you to say that again." Ron said.

            Laurel narrows her eyes. "I love a man in denial."

            Ron stands and slams his hands on the tabletop. "What do you mean by that!?"

            "It's all too obvious, Ronald." Laurel just sits back and examines her fingernails and ignores Ron's fury. "It's not just you, but somehow you seem to show it more. You're putting it on yourself. Maybe you should just pray for Harry's conscience."

            "Laurel, don't test his temper." Harry whispers.

            "Oh, you just wait, Laurel. When we get Hermione back…" Ron starts.

            "You'll brag up that you did all the work in solving the mystery." Laurel finishes.

            Ron storms off and leaves the library. 

            Laurel sighs heavily. "I'm sorry, Harry. Yell at me all you want, too, I don't care. I want to help you guys, but sometimes he's just so hard to stand."

            "He doesn't usually act that way." Harry comments. "He appreciates your help. At least I'm pretty sure."

            "Ah, Laurel!" A few girls coo as they approach. 

            "Oh, uh, hi Rebecca, Emily…Jo." Laurel replies. The girls crowd around her and ask her a whole bunch of questions. Laurel, through the mess, motions for Harry to leave if he wanted to. 

            Harry leaves the library and starts his way up to the Gryffindor common room. On his way, he spots Ron standing in front of a window with his elbows on the sill, resting his chin in his hands. Harry walks up and joins him.

            "What you thinking about?" He asks.

            Ron takes a while to reply. "How, if my mum knew what was going on, she'd compare this to some type of soap opera." He then laughs… and can't stop.

            "What?"

            "Oh, I was just remembering the time that Hermione slapped Malfoy across the face after he was mocking Hagrid and his case with Buckbeak."

            Harry laughs too. "The look on his face."

            "Yeah."

            "And remember when she was caught in the bathroom with that troll?"

            Ron moans. "Eh, don't remind me. It was cool, mind you, but it was sort of freaky. I thought Professor McGonnagal was going to have a stroke."

            Harry racks his memory. "The time when we had to get the Sorcerer's Stone, and she had to figure out which potion would let us through the fire and which ones were poison."

            "I would remember that. I was knocked out cold." 

            "Oh yeah, Sorry." Harry adds. "I sure miss Hermione."

            "Girls are a horrible business." Ron says. "They don't know how addictive they can be. It's quite stupid, once you think about it. They think guys are tricky. Ha! We're not half as bad to get to as they are."

            "You're just saying that because you're a guy. You don't know what it's like from a girl's point of view." Harry says.

            "True."

            "We can always ask Laurel though." Harry suggests.

            Ron curls his nose. "I'm not sure I want to know."

            "I have to agree." Harry sighs. "But I just might have to ask… just for the fun of it, you know? But we have to make an oath, okay? Never to act this crazy over anything ever again."

            "Deal!" Ron says without hesitation and grabs Harry's hand with both of his and shakes it vigorously. "Now, are we done with homework?"

            "I guess."

            "I'm going to go get the Wizard Chess board and bring it down to the library." Ron explains. "I want to see if Laurel can beat me."

            "Don't reckon she can."

            "Good! Then I get to laugh at her more." Ron smiles and goes up to the common room. 

            Harry makes his way back down to the library to see if Laurel's friends had finally gotten warded off. On his way, he bumps into yet another familiar face. Cho Chang. He feels his heart jump into his throat and his face go pink. He swallows hard and tries to walk past without a word, but she speaks first.

            "Hello, Harry."

            "Hi." He squeaks.

            She laughs a little and gives him a smile. "I have a small question for you."

            "Ask away." 

            "I couldn't help but notice…that Hermione hasn't been hanging around you and that other boy for a long time. Is something wrong?" She asks.

            Harry lets out a big stream of air. "Well, …"

            "I'm sorry." Cho says in a hurry. "That must be personal. I shouldn't have asked."

            "No, that's okay." Harry quickly replies. "I can answer. She just…needed a break, I guess. You know, spend some time with her own kind. Own kind, that sounds stupid."

            Cho laughs. "I know what you mean. Well, I just was wondering. Sorry to be putting you on the spot."

            "That's okay." Harry stops for a second. "You were just…wondering?"

            Cho pauses. "Heh, I guess you could say that I was just looking out for you. I didn't want you to be heartbroken or anything."

            Harry's eyes go wide and tries to take it all in.

            Cho clears her throat. "I'll have to see you later, Harry. I have to get to my common room. I'm meeting a friend."

            "Oh…uh, okay." Harry stutters. "'Bye."

            "'Bye." Cho waves and leaves up the stairs. 

            "She was … looking out for me?" Harry repeats to himself slowly. He starts his way to the library again, still looking behind him. He runs into about three sets of armor before completely getting his head back on his shoulders.

            Laurel laughs when she sees Harry's face after he sits down at the table once more. "You look so flabbergasted! I wish I had a camera." She takes her fingers and makes a small box with her pointer-fingers and thumbs. She focuses on Harry and continues to laugh.

            "Shut up."

            "Sorry." Laurel says. "I couldn't help myself. But I won't ask why, okay?"

            "Thanks."

            "Where is our little Gothic Casanova?" Laurel asks.

            "Getting the board for Wizard Chess." 

            "Why?" Laurel ponders.

            "He wants to kick your ass." Harry stretches out.

            Laurel laughs hysterically and the librarian hisses at her. "I need a memo recorder too. I'll probably never hear you say that again."

            Harry laughs himself. 

                                                            ***

            "Dang it." Ron groans.

            "Haha! You just lost your second knight." Laurel chants.

            "Shut up, already."

            Laurel continues to laugh as she clears the board of Ron's broken knight. "I'm gonna open a can of whoop-ass just for you."

            "What kind of saying is that?" Ron asks.

            "Don't ask me." Laurel replies. "I got it from my pen pal in America. So, how have those tutorials been coming along?"

            "I never felt so stupid." Harry says. "I already know the stuff she's trying to teach me."

            "Mostly the same with me." Ron continues. "But I am learning a thing or two."

            "Good, does she seem to trust you yet?"

            "A little." Harry replies.

            "Is the potion almost ready?" Ron asks.

            "A few more hours and we'll be all set. We'll have to test it after dinner and you can give it to her at lunch tomorrow." Laurel explains. "I kept that butterbeer bottle and we can put it in there."

            "I doubt it will taste like butterbeer." Harry said.

            "I doubt it will too." Laurel agrees. "But hopefully that lone peppermint will help some.'

            "Doubt that too." Ron mutters.

            "Fine." Laurel spats. "We'll hold her down, plug her nose, and force it to slither down her esophagus."

            Ron just sighs and calls out his next move.

            Later that night, the three head up to Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom to check on the potion. Laurel stirs it up with a ladle. It was a creamy orange color. The fog coming off it fogged up Harry's glasses. It didn't smell like much, so that must be a good sign that it didn't taste too bad.

            "At least it will resemble butterbeer…somewhat." Laurel hums.

            "Who's going to test it?" Ron asks.

            "Well, without the blood, the spell won't take effect, we're just testing for taste." Laurel replies. "It has to taste okay for us to get Hermione to drink sixteen ounces." 

            "Got that right." Harry mumbles.

            Laurel takes a ladle-full and holds it out. "Stick your finger in, come on."

            "What about you?" Ron detests. 

            "Don't worry, carrot-top, I'll have my share too." Laurel says.

            Harry dips his finger into the smooth liquid and so does Ron. Laurel takes some and puts the ladle back in the cauldron. She lifts her finger in cheers and slips the potion in her mouth. The boys follow. After they swallow, they look down at the simmering pot.

            "Well," Laurel says. "What did you think?"

            Ron licks his lips. "I tasted banana."

            "Banana?" Laurel exclaims. "What happened to the peppermint?"

            "Dunno."

            "Didn't taste like much to me." Harry said. "Reminded me of bread pudding, just not as sweet."

            Laurel sighs. "Guys are weird. I thought it tasted like plain buttermilk."

            "Won't the blood change the flavor?" Harry asks.

            "Shouldn't." Laurel says. "And if all else fails, tell her it's a special power drink from your little foreign country."

            Ron laughs; Harry sighs.

            "Alright." Laurel clears her throat. "Meet me up here after Charms Class and we'll add the blood. Then you can get the bottle right before lunch for your little lesson and stuff. Make sure Hermione drinks every drop. I won't be there to make sure she does. Don't be surprised if she curls her nose at it. Who knows what it tastes like after the blood. Don't give it away that it's not really a beverage."

            "Gotcha." 

            "Okay. Good luck. I'm off to my own common room. You should too. Myrtle is starting to give us stares." Laurel comments.

            "Oh, that's nothing." Harry says. "We were in here a month last time."

            Laurel laughs. "Well, good night, Boys. See you tomorrow."

            "'Bye Laurel."

            They all went their separate ways to their common rooms for the night while the potion simmered for its last hours.


	7. Part 6 Joie de Vivre

            "Okay, Class! Just remember today's lesson! Make sure to do your homework and no slacking off…that means you, Weasley." Professor Flitwick eyes Ron dangerously. Ron just gives him a smirk and a friendly wave. "See you all tomorrow and have a nice day."

            "God, I thought he'd never stop talking!" Ron mumbles out the door. "That potion is making me too….too…what's the word, Harry?"

            "Anxious?"

            "That's it!" Ron snaps his finger. "I had a whole bunch of freaked up dreams last night."

            "You think you're the only one?" Harry asks exasperated. 

            "Were they as freaky as mine?" Ron asks.

            "Can't tell your for sure, but if yours all of a sudden had Laurel popping up around every corner…"

            "'Morning, Harry!" Laurel jumps up from behind the two boys.

            "Wahh!"

            Laurel giggles. "Surprised to see me, Harry? Sorry, I just couldn't help myself. I am in such a good mood this morning, are you two? I don't know what's wrong with me; I'm never this perky. So, please excuse my joie de vivre."

            "What the hell is joie de vivre?" Ron slowly walks farther away from Laurel.

            "It's French, Ronald, don't worry about it." Laurel pats him on the back. "I have to quick grab something from my common room, so I'll just have to meet you guys back up with Myrtle in about ten minutes, okay? Peachy." Laurel bounds off down the hallway.

            Ron laughs shortly to himself. "Quite the bouncy bitch this morning isn't she?"

            Harry laughs too. "All that joie de vivre crap."

            "Joie de vivre. It's just an expression that means you have energy, high spirits, a spring in your step." Harry and Ron turn around to see Hermione with her books clutched to her chest. "Good morning, boys."

            "Uh…Morning." Harry waves.

            Ron didn't say anything.

            "I'll see you two after lunch in the library for our tutorial. Until then, Good day." Hermione turns and leaves.

            "Malfoy." Harry plainly says.

            "What about him?" Ron asks.

            "Can we kill him? Can we kill him…_now?_" Harry hands slowly get tensed up. 

            Ron just gives Harry a pat on the back. "Let's go visit Myrtle, and then we'll see what we can do, okay?"

            "Why are you the calm one this morning and I'm so… so…" Harry drones on.

            "Boisterous?"

            Harry sighs. "That might be, but…since when did your vocabulary get bigger?"

            "I'm actually listening to Hermione and Laurel lately?" Ron rolls his eyes.

            "What's wrong with us?" Harry ponders.

            "Yes, we're senseless bastards, aren't we? But it's all for the best. After we get Hermione back we can just go back to being senseless." Ron says.

            "That made very little sense." Harry tries not to laugh.

            "See, that's why senseless bastard fits me so well." Roy replies.

            "Yeah." Harry agrees. "But you're a pretty good friend for being a senseless bastard."

            "You too, Harry. You too."

*****

            "What took you two so long?" Laurel yells in Ron and Harry's faces. "I said I'd have to meet _you_ here not _you_ meet me here."

            "We can explain." Ron puts ups his hands in self-defense.

            Laurel sighs. "Very well then. Explain."

            Harry clears his throat. "We had a little run-in with Hermione after you left to go to your common room and then we got to thinking and got very off-track."

            "Very." Ron backs Harry up.

            Laurel just stares at them. "You two are getting weirder and weirder."

            "And you're not getting weirder?" Ron asks. "When we first met you were talking like you were back in the Shakespearian age!" Ron puts on a high voice and tries to imitate Laurel. " 'Troublesome pickle, is it not?'" 

            Laurel frowns. "Stop mocking me. I didn't have any friends then, what did you expect me to do besides apologize over and over?" She looks down at the floor. "And it's kinda fun talking like that."

            "We're getting off-track again." Harry concludes.

            Laurel looks at Ron and they both look back at Harry. "Very."

            Laurel claps her hands together. "Okay! The potion is ready!" Laurel shuffles through her bag and grabs a knife that she used for cutting up ingredients in Potions Class. "Get over the pot, hurry now."

            "You're not going to cut off our whole finger, are you?" Ron asks. "Because that's a bloody big knife."

            "Oh don't worry!" Laurel waves it off. "It'll just be a little prick. Who wants to go first?"

            Harry and Ron both put their hands, palm up, over the cauldron. Laurel talks to herself in astonishment about being so willing to participate. She takes the knife and wipes it off on her robes a few times before putting it near the boy's fingers. She takes the blade and makes a tiny slit in the tip of Harry and Ron's ring finger. She tells them to squeeze it until blood would flow enough to drip down into the pot. Harry and Ron do so, and the dark burgundy fluid slowly dribbles into the cauldron. After Laurel signals them to stop squeezing, both the boys take their finger and suck on it to stop the blood flow. Laurel squats down and begins to stir the concoction. 

            "See, that wasn't so bad." Laurel says.

            "I lost so much blood, I believe I'm going to faint." Ron jokes.

            "Save the acting for when you give the potion to Hermione." Laurel replies and grabs the butterbeer bottle from her bag. She submerges the bottle and bubbles come to the top. After it was full she takes it out of the cauldron and wipes the excess potion on the outside off with a rag. "Here you are. Knock yourselves out." 

            Harry takes the bottle from her. "Thank you, Laurel. We couldn't have gotten this far without you."

            Laurel blushes. "Aw, it was nothing." She sighs. "Plus, I had the opportunity to get to know you two better."

            "Don't talk like it's over now that we got the potion." Ron says quietly.

            Harry smiles in agreement. "You know what surprises me?"

            "What?" Ron asks.

            "Ever since we saw Malfoy in that lair with all those potions, there have been no more attacks." Harry replies. "Isn't that a bit strange?"

            Ron shrugs. "Just goes to show you how stupid he is."

            Laurel checks her wristwatch. "You two better get going to class and then lunch. I'll have to catch up with you afterwards and ask you how everything went."

            "Alright." Harry stows the potion safely in his robe's pocket. "Let's go, Ron."

            "Right behind you." 

            Laurel turns the opposite way after they leave Myrtle's bathroom. "Good luck you two!"

            "Thanks again, Laurel." The two wave and head off to class. 

            After a long lesson (it seemed extra long due to all the apprehensiveness), Harry and Ron slowly walked down to the library to meet up with Hermione. They took a seat at one of the tables near the back and waited quietly. After a while, she showed up and sat down across from them. She hummed to herself as she took out a roll of parchment, her quill and ink, as well as some books. She dips the quill into the ink and writes the date on top of the paper. 

            "Good afternoon." She says after a while.

            "Hi." The two boys reply.

            "Do you have any particular subject you want to cover?" Hermione asks. "Or do you just want me to start anywhere."

            "I'm having a little trouble understanding the Goblin Rebellion." Ron says.

            "The Goblin Rebellion?" Harry whispers to Ron in disgust.

            Ron smiled contritely. "It was the first thing that came to mind."

             "Okay, the Goblin Rebellion it is." Hermione shifts through her books and turns to a few different pages. "It all started around 1714…"

            "When are we going to give her the drink?" Ron asked quietly to Harry.

            "Not sure." Harry moans.

            "We can't wait too long." Ron adds. 

            "Don't worry, I'll bring it out at a good time." Harry replies. "Just trust me."

            "Okay." Ron nods and goes back to pretending to take notes from Hermione's lecture. 

            "…Most of the arguments were over civil rights, but there was also a rumor of disagreement in salary…"

            "How about now?" Ron asks.

            "Not yet." Harry says.

            "How about now?"

            "Not yet…"

            "How about now?"

            "Not yet, damn it!" Harry looses his temper for a second.

            "Are you two even listening?" Hermione questions. 

            "Yup." Ron shows her his notes. 

            Hermione sighs in defeat. "Fine. I see."

            "Miss Hermione…" Harry says.

            "Just Hermione is fine." Hermione replies.

            "Oh, yes," Harry coughs. "Sorry. Well, Hermione, since we're taking a short break…how about a butterbeer?"

            "How do you know what butterbeer is?" Hermione asks.

            Harry tries to go along. "I'm not as foreign as I look." He takes out the bottle and sets it on the table. "You can have this one."

            "You sure?" Hermione hesitates.

            "I'm positive. I'm not that thirsty, anyways." Harry replies.

            "Neither am I." Ron agrees.

            Hermione looks from Harry to Ron and then to the bottle. She takes it and sets it next to her books. "Thanks."

            "Don't mention it." Harry and Ron smile.

            Hermione writes down a few annotations on the parchment and then picks up the butterbeer to drink. She takes a sip and sets it down and begins to write again. Harry and Ron just look at her. She picks the bottle up again and takes a bigger swig. The two boys couldn't believe that she didn't question the taste or the abnormal thickness. She didn't even curl her nose at it. Hermione takes the bottle and puts it to her mouth, taking several gulps at a time.

            "I take it that you like butterbeer." Ron comments oddly. Of course he knew she liked it, but never this much.

            Hermione smiles. "For some reason, this one tastes a lot more refreshing at the moment."

            "Glad you like it." Harry casts a look at Ron who chuckles to himself quietly. 

            Before they knew it, Hermione had downed the entire sixteen ounces. "Thank you again. You didn't want the bottle back, did you?"

            "Uh, no. You can have it." Harry replies.

            Hermione clear her throat. "Anyways, back to the rebellion…"

            Ron stands up suddenly. "Remember the time when we—!" 

            Harry grabs him by the shoulders and pulls him back down to sit. "It won't kick in immediately!"

            "I was just coaxing her along; like Laurel said to do." Ron argues.

            "I don't think she meant it to be that elaborate." Harry whispers, noticing Hermione's strange stares.

            Hermione blinks a few times. "Remember the time when we…what?" She asks Ron.

            "Nothing, it was nothing!" Harry tries to cover it up.

            Ron pretends to cough into his fist. "Troll."

            "Troll?" Hermione questioned.

            "You're a bit too eager." Harry tells Ron.

            "I'm surprised you're not." Ron counters.

            "I can see," Hermione begins to stand. "That you two are not in the mood for studying. Perhaps we should postpone this session to a later date…"

            "No, that's perfectly fine!" Harry stands up too to stop her. "I'm completely into studying."

            Ron stands too. "Can't help but love it."

            Hermione, unpredictably, smiles. She then sits back down. "Earlier this morning you were complaining over the meaning of joie de vivre, right?" Harry and Ron just look confused. Hermione laughs. "I wasn't surprised, of course, but now you two both have joie de vivre."

            "Uh, sure!" Ron sits down as well. 

            Harry sits eventually. "What makes you think that?"

            Hermione closes her books. "Just a feeling. Anyways, perhaps we should talk about something else besides the Goblin Rebellion. Though, the Goblin Rebellion was a very important time in our history. It showed once more that wizards believed themselves to be higher in superiority to other creatures. It's like the present day with our house-elves."

            "Spew!" Ron suddenly shouts.

            "Spew?" Hermione asks angrily. "It's S.P.E.W for your information, and besides, how would you know about it?" 

            "Because I'm a part of Spew. You assigned me to the job." Ron says suavely. 

            "I did no such thing. I already have a committee." Hermione answers.

            "And who's on the committee?" Ron asks.

            "This isn't going to go anywhere, Ron." Harry says.

            "But she didn't give anybody else board positions for her little _spew_ project. Who else would she say besides us?" Ron replies.

            "Hermione never seems to remember our names though." Harry points out quietly.

            "Exactly." Ron nods. "I'm thinking, along with Laurel's coaxing idea, that we have to get Hermione to remember our names, and then she'll remember us. Once you meet someone, you never truly forget them, right?"

            "Stop talking like some philosopher!" Harry yells. Ron smirks. "Have you forgotten?" Harry continues. "Malfoy's potion made her a nutter. When it comes to us, she's completely off her rocker."

            "I guess you're right." Ron suddenly says. "Where was I going with this again?"

            Harry goes limp and slams his head on the table.

            "Oh yeah!" Ron grins as he grabs the scruff of Harry's robes and makes him sit up. "Could I talk to you privately for a second?"

            Harry just gets up and walks away with Ron to go behind a bookshelf. Ron then looked very excited. "You're right!"

            "About what?"

            "About Malfoy making Hermione a complete nutter." Ron says. "You know what I was saying about the whole name thing? How Hermione can never seem to remember our names?"

            "Yeah."

            "Haven't we called on each other by name around her before?" Ron asks.

            It hit Harry. "That's right! I've called you Ron in front of her before. You've called me Harry too. Wouldn't she have gotten the hint?"

            "Any normal person would." Ron says. "We have to tell Laurel about this."

            "It may be a huge part in having Hermione remember us and the past." Harry grins. 

            Ron sneers. "Malfoy, you blundering jackass! Hermione's too smart to forget a stupid thing like that. He made it too easy for us to figure out a way around it."

            Harry laughs. "Aren't we lucky to know the little waif?"

            Ron laughs for a while and then stops. "Harry?"

            "What?"

            "What's a waif?"

            Harry sighs. "Never mind that. We have to stretch out this lesson so we can get Hermione closer to us. I have a small plan, I just need to run it by Laurel."

            "Alright. Let's go." Ron drags Harry back to the table where Hermione sat. 

            The lesson continued throughout the lunch time, until it was time to leave to their next class. For the two boys, the afternoon went by a little more unproblematic, knowing that things just might be getting easier and easier. After dinner, they met up with Laurel outside on the castle grounds. It was getting late in November, so she had on her silver and blue scarf. They told her everything that had happened that afternoon at the tutorial. 

            "That's wonderful!" Laurel clapped her gloved hands. "Did she really drink it all without a single complaint?"

            "Yeah." Harry nodded. "She said, actually, that it was delicious and refreshing."

            Laurel giggles to herself. "I may be a witch, but I'm a good cook." 

            "Harry? Didn't you say you had some sort of plan?" Ron asks.

            "Oh yeah, I forgot about that for a while." Harry says.

            "Well, what is it?" Laurel asks impatiently. 

            "We have to get Hermione to be somewhat of a chum again before we can do this." Harry explains. "We can pretend that we have to go visit Hagrid to get information about something suspicious going on. We could use my father's invisibility cloak to get across the grounds like usual."

            "Wow, you have an invisibility cloak?" Asks Laurel.

            Harry just smiles and continues. "It has to spark something. She liked going on adventures and stuff like that before, even though she kept on reminding us about the rules. To get back our Hermione, we have to try to put the old one back into her. Meanwhile, there's a Hogsmeade trip coming up. We can invite her to come along with us and hang out and stuff like that."

            "Wouldn't she just want to hang around Lavender and Parvarti like usual?" Ron asks.

            "We'll have to persuade her to come with us then." Harry concludes. 

            "Sounds like a good start to me." Laurel says. "A great start. Good work guys. I'm so proud of my men!"

            "Your men?" Harry and Ron look at her eccentrically. 

            Laurel as too caught up in her joie de vivre to reply. She snaps back after a while. "Well, Harry, Ron," She smiles. "It has begun!"


	8. Part 7 Book of Memories

            The morning of the Hogsmeade trip soon reared its head. Harry and Ron quickly get out of bed and get dressed before grabbing their moneybags and heading down to breakfast. They didn't see Hermione in the common room and could only assume that she was still in bed, or already down in the Great Hall. They hurry down the steps and soon descend the large marble staircase putting them right in front large oak doors. 

            "We have to find Hermione before she gets on the train with Lavender or somebody else. Otherwise, we'll have a hard time finding her later." Harry says.

            "What about Laurel?" Ron asks.

            "We'll find her too." Harry replies. "Do you spot either of them yet?"

            Ron stands on his tip-toes and tries to scan the crowd. He was already tall enough to see above many of the other students' heads. "I think I see Laurel over there, by the staircase that goes to the North Tower."

            Harry and Ron push their way through the mass of people and finally see Laurel standing by the staircase, but she wasn't alone. She was talking quietly to a boy a little taller than her with mahogany-brown, curly hair. It must not have been a very cheerful conversation, for Laurel was biting the fingernails of her right hand.  The boy took a piece of paper out of his pocket, unfolded it, and showed it to her. She inched closer to his side so she could read it clearly. 

            "Wonder who he is." Ron ponders.

            "Dunno." Harry responds.

            "Should we call to her?" Ron asks. "I sort of feel like we're spying on her."

            "Spying never bothered you before." Harry says.

            Ron doesn't answer. "Laurel!" 

            Laurel and the boy turn to look at them.

            "Nice going, Ron. Now she'll know we were spying on her." Harry says out of the side of his mouth.

            "Sorry." Ron replies plainly.

            Laurel slowly approached them. "Good Morning." Her voice was a little more solemn than usual.

            "Morning." Says Ron.

            Harry sighs. "We're sorry if we disturbed anything."

            "That's alright." Laurel says quietly. 

            The boy advances on all three of them and waves his hand for a short hello. "Morning." Harry and Ron say their good mornings as well. He looks back at Laurel and hands her the piece of parchment that they were looking over earlier. "Here, you can keep it."

            "Thank you." Laurel says.

            "And, uh…" He tries to continue. "After you go to Hogsmeade, could you possible make it later this evening?"

            Laurel sighs and closes her eyes and if she was trying to think. "Do you think we'll be able to get in?"

            "They've been denying us so many times, they have to cave in sooner or later." The boy replies. "They can't keep us away for ever."

            "Damn right they can't." Laurel forces a laugh for the boy's sake, since he had smiled after he said that. "I should get going."

            "Yeah, me too." The boy says. "I need to go and pay a visit Professor Sinistra."

            "I'll see you later, then." Laurel bids farewell.

            "See you." The boy then smiles mischievously. "You two good fellows take care of her, you hear?"

            Harry and Ron just look at him surprised.

            "Adam!" Laurel slugs him in the arm.

            Adam rubs his arm and laughs. "Just kidding, Lolly, I was just kidding! I'll see you tonight." He leaves.

            Laurel pouts angrily to herself. "Sorry about him. He likes to joke around every once in a while."

            "Who is he?" Harry asks.

            Laurel's chest swells and eases from a sigh. "A friend of mine. Adam Baker."

            "He's also in Ravenclaw?" Ron asks.    

            "Yes. He's in our year as well." Laurel replies. 

            "You two seem pretty close." Ron takes his elbow and taps her side.

            Laurel turns around and goes into the Great Hall. "Enough about Adam, okay?" Her voice trailed off shakily. 

            "I don't think you should have said that." Harry says.

            Ron exhales noisily. "Where did those good old days go, when you could tease a little and not get blamed for someone else's depression? Where, Harry? Where?" He adds a bit of airiness to his voice. 

            Harry laughs a little and goes into the Great Hall for breakfast. 

*****

            "Excuse me?"

            Harry turns around in response to the tap on his shoulder. He sees Hermione standing behind him. "Hello, Hermione." He says happily.

            "Yes, hello. About this afternoon's lesson, I believe we have to switch it to another date. I plan on going to Hogsmeade today." Hermione explains.

            "Yes! Hogsmeade!" Harry smiles. "About that, could we; we being Ron, Laurel, and myself, have the nobility of you hanging out with us today at Hogsmeade?" The choice of words must have sounded completely corny, but it seemed to have got her attention.

            Ron nods his head. "Yes, we would like that."

            "Very much!" Harry adds.

            Hermione stares blankly off into space of a moment. "I was going to go with Lavender and Parvarti, but all they ever talk about are rumors. I suppose I could go with you three today. Wouldn't hurt."

            "Thank you." Harry says.          

            "I'll meet you after breakfast outside the door." Hermione replies and walks off to go sit further down the table.

            "I'm surprised she agreed!" Ron takes a large bite of toast.

            "I bet Laurel will be happy too." Harry grins.

            "Not so sure about that." Ron replies. 

He points with his fork over to the Ravenclaw table to were Laurel was sitting. She was alone and playing with her porridge absentmindedly. In front of her was that piece of parchment Adam had given her. Following her eyes, you could tell that she was reading it over and over. She sighs again and gets up from the table and leaves, without taking a single bite of breakfast.

"What's eating her?" Ron asks.

"Not sure." Harry replies. "But it has to do with something Adam told her. I've never seen her so distracted before."

"Or miserable." Ron adds. "Just a few days ago she was more chipper than Fred and George on April Fools Day."

Harry laughs. "I hope she cheers up though. And if not, we have to do something to help."

Ron groans at the task. "I suppose you're right. But you have to do most of it. I'm not good at helping people brighten up."

After they had finished eating, the two boys go outside the Great Hall and try to find Laurel. She wasn't in the main hall; so they went outside and sure enough, she was sitting on the grass, look at the lake. They go up to her and sit on either side of her. She looks at them and smiles.

"What's wrong?" Harry asks.

"It's nothing." She replies in her usual care-free tone. "I just worry too much."

"Care to tell us anyway?" Ron asks.

"Nope." She says flat out and laughs. "Anyways, did you two persuade Hermione to come to Hogsmeade with us?"

"Actually, we did." Replies Harry.

"Amazing!" Laurel gasps. 

"We're supposed to meet her outside of the Great Hall after breakfast, but Harry said we had to find you first." Ron says.

"That's very sweet of him," Laurel gets up without looking at either of them. "Now, let's go and get Hermione before she leaves on her own. Can't mess up this opportunity."

The three went inside and waited outside the doors and soon enough, Hermione came out ready to go. They went down to the train station were they boarded and chose their own little cubicle to sit in. They talked all the way there and were amazed when Hermione talked and laughed with them. They arrived at Hogsmeade and strolled down the street. When Hermione was window shopping, Laurel had an opening to talk to Harry and Ron alone.

"This is astonishing!" She says. "I didn't know the potion was take affect this quickly. She's acting like you three only broke up for a couple of months and are trying to get back together."

"Odd assessment, but…" Ron mumbles. "I guess it's accurate."

"Maybe we won't need as much coaxing as the book said." Laurel continues. "At this rate, she might fall into your laps by lunch time." She sniggers.

The morning sustained wonderfully. The four had a good time looking through the book store, the Quidditch store, the magical creatures shop, as well as many others. When eleven o'clock came around, they were getting a little thirsty. They stopped in The Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer.

"This has been more fun then I expected." Said Hermione as she sips her real butterbeer.

"It's nice to have another girl around for a change." Laurel says to Hermione.

"Then why hang around guys all the time?" Hermione asks.

"I have a few girlfriends." Laurel replies. "But they're more like acquaintances. We talk but we don't really like each other deep down. That's how it's always been for me. It's quite odd. I grew up with only my mother, and three sisters. You'd think I'd act extremely girlish."

"I wouldn't know. I'm an only child." Hermione says.

"You're one of the lucky people." Laurel lifts her butterbeer bottle in cheers.

"I'll drink to that." Ron lifts his as well.

Harry just shrugs and drinks too. 

Hermione stands. "If you'll excuse me, I need to go to the restroom."

Once Hermione was out of earshot Laurel leans in to talk to Harry and Ron. "Okay. We have to turn up the juice. Who wants to volunteer and be the first person to have a go? We need something slow and easy. Just conversation, at the very least."

Ron looks at Harry. "I think both of us might slip beyond 'just conversation'."

"True." Harry agrees. "It's very hard not to bonk her on the head and ask her if she remembers yet."

"Okay," Laurel looks at the ceiling in though. "Harry, pick a number…1 through 50."

"34."

"Ron, you next."

"15." 

Laurel pats Ron on the shoulder. "You're up buddy. The number was 13."

Ron groans. "I guess it won't be that bad. I just hope I don't freak her out by trying too hard."

"We'll take a walk so we're out of the market so we won't get any eavesdroppers." Laurel explains. "We'll try to get you two alone so you can have a lovely, chummy chat." Laurel swings her fist in front of her like a sailor. "Harry and I will just go feed the pigeons or something. I doubt there are pigeons, but what the hell, right?"

"I'm back." Hermione introduces herself. 

"Well," Laurel leans back in her chair. "I'm finished. Anybody up for a walk?"

"Sounds fine to me." Says Harry.

"I suppose a walk would be okay." Hermione agrees. "Then we can go back to window shopping."

"Let's go then." Laurel stands and pushes in her chair. "We don't want to waste any time, do we?"

"Nope." Ron says nervously.

Once Harry and Hermione exited Laurel whispers to Ron, "Don't worry. You'll be fine."

"You say it so cheery." Ron sneers.

"It's what I do best!" Laurel smiles dollishly. 

The four head down the street of Hogsmeade and towards the area where there weren't so many shops. Hermione was just looking side to side, completely clueless it seemed. Ron had his hands jammed down into his pockets and his eyes toward the sky, as if planning ever word he'd say. Harry looked over at Laurel who was smiling carelessly with the same old hop in her step. They finally reach a place that had a small abandoned shed that looked to have a few old gardening tools in it. They were in the 'park' after all. 

"I wonder if people still use that." Hermione wondered.

"Why don't you go in and check? There must be something in there besides a rusting hoe." Laurel says.

Hermione peeks her head inside the door and walks in. Laurel eyes Ron and quickly motions her hand for him to follow her in. He grits his teeth at her and walks toward the door, which she was holding open. He just glares as he enters. Hermione's voice echoes from inside.

"Mostly just dust and cobwebs." She was saying. 

Laurel then quickly closes the door on the two and takes the large wooden plank. She slides it between the handles so it couldn't be opened from the inside. "I feel horrible now. That was cruel. But…if that's what must be done, I'll do it."

Harry was just standing there, watching the whole thing. "Isn't this plan a little too risky."

"What's the worst that could happen?" Laurel asks.

"I have the scariest picture in my head of Hermione stabbing Ron to death with an old hedge clippers."

Laurel laughs. "You have one vivid imagination there, Harry. Come on, we'll sit outside under the window and see if we can hear anything interesting."

"I'm not sure, Laurel. I don't think I want to hear what they say." Harry says. 

Laurel suddenly looked glum. "You're not the only person who's worried about this. But I'm sure that you're more worried than I am. I just was hoping that somehow we'd get information about the potions that Malfoy was dishing out."

"Why would you want to know that?" Harry asks.

"I don't feel like talking about it right now." Laurel says and gets on her hands and knees and crawls under the window. She puts her arms on either side of the sill so Hermione and Ron wouldn't see them from inside. She opens it a crack and their words were more understandable. "Come have a seat." She whispers.

Harry eventually gives in and crawls next to Laurel and sits down. "They're not saying anything."

"Shh." Laurel hushes. "They were a second ago. Just listen."

"Any luck?" Hermione asked.

"Nope. The door won't budge." Ron said. "It's probably just Harry and Laurel playing a joke."

"What about the windows?" Hermione wonders.

Laurel was crossing her fingers.

"It's pretty stuck." Ron said. He must have faked it. "I don't dare brake it. Looks like we might be stuck here for a while."

Hermione sighed. "May I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Do you believe that dreams tell you things?" Hermione asked surprisingly.

Ron hesitated with his answer. "Some, I suppose. Not all. Why?"

"You may find it stupid, but I had a very strange one last night. I was in a bathroom, and there was a troll there."

"A troll?" Ron asked hopefully.

"Yes. I was close to being killed when these two boys came. One jumped on it's back and the other used some charm. Then the troll fainted. That's all I remember." Hermione explained.

"Do you know who the boys were?" Ron asked.

"I don't know." Hermione laughed. "It's hard for me to remember dreams. But…" Hermione's voice had gone faint. "I want to remember."

"I can understand that." Said Ron.

"I must sound like some blubbering idiot." Hermione concluded. "But…you sort of look like one of the boys in my dream. The red hair stands out in my mind." 

"You don't sound like a blubbering idiot." Ron replied. "Hermione…What would you think if I told you that one of the boys _was_ me?" Hermione didn't answer, so Ron went on. "Maybe this will help bring the dream back," Ron put on a mocking voice. "It's Levi-o-sa! Not Levios_ar! She's a nightmare, honestly. No wonder she hasn't got any friends."_

Laurel whispers in Harry's ear, "What's he talking about?"

"That's why Hermione was in the bathroom in our first year." Harry replied quietly. "Ron was mocking her about Charm's Class. This was before we were friends. She went into the bathroom and was crying. It was Halloween…remember? The troll was let loose."

"Yeah, I remember now." Laurel says.

Hermione had started to cry from inside the shed. "I want to remember! I really do! I'm trying!"

"Whoa, it's getting emotional in there." Laurel shrugs. Harry bit his lip.

"Hermione…Who am I?" Ron asked.

Laurel and Harry couldn't take it anymore. They stood up slowly and stood on each side of the window. They gradually looked around the frame, inside the small cabin. Ron had Hermione facing him. He was grasping her by the shoulders. Hermione's face screwed up from all the tears and she got closer to Ron. She laid her head on his chest and continued to cry. Ron was very taken aback.

"Weasley." Hermione started to say. 

"Yes! But what's my first name!" Ron said.

Laurel and Harry get anxious.

"I don't know. I can't remember." Hermione slowly shakes her head. She takes her head off of Ron's chest and looks up into his eyes. "I'm sorry."

It was then they got the biggest shock of the day. Hermione stood up on her tip-toes and kissed Ron. Though her eyes were closed, his were as wide as wide could get. Laurel, from outside the window, gasped. Harry takes his head away from the window and walks away from the shed. Laurel follows him.

"Harry, wait."

"That's the worst that could happen." Harry says when he stopped to face her.

Laurel looked morose. "I'm sorry, Harry. But I can tell you from experience, that's what happens in a guy-guy-girl relationship. You love them both to death, but one is more of a brotherly love. The other couldn't help but capture your heart."

            "How could you have experience with this?" Harry asks hotly. "You said you didn't have any close friends ever."

            "Haven't you ever heard of lying, Harry?" Laurel looks at him sincerely. "You remember when we were in The Three Broomsticks last and I said you two weren't the only two with this kind of problem?"

            Harry tries to recall. "Yes."

            "You've already met Adam, but you haven't met the other." Laurel  turns her head away and crosses her arms over her chest, then continues with her story. "On the train to Hogwarts, my first year. I was sitting all alone in a compartment when two boys came in and sat down. They didn't pay any attention to me; they were too busy talking about trading Chocolate Frog Wizard Cards. I heard one say that they needed Madam Bagmett. I had that one in my pocket from the pack I bought from the trolley. I stood up and handed it too the one with dirty-blonde hair. 'Here' I said, 'You can have it. I don't collect them anyway'. He told me thank you and I sat down next to him and all three of us talked the rest of the way to Hogwarts. We instantly became the best of friends, and it was even better when we all got sorted into Ravenclaw."

            "What happened to them?" Harry asks.

            "It was late in September this year it happened. Joel, the one with dirty-blonde hair, suddenly came stumbling into the common room. Adam and I ran to him and helped him into a chair. He was holding his stomach and he couldn't open his eyes from the pain. The next thing we knew, he fainted. We brought him to the Hospital Wing and Madam Pomfrey said that he had been poisoned by a very rare potion and that all we could do was wait it out." Laurel says. She started to cry silently. Her cheeks shined. "I was so worried. I've been meaning to tell Joel how I truly felt about him. Over the years I grew to love him differently than Adam. I loved Adam like he was my twin brother. I loved Joel as if he were the other half of my heart. I didn't say anything for the longest time, because I didn't want to ruin the friendship we already had. Lately, Joel has been getting worse and Madam Pomfrey won't let us visit him. She doesn't know how to cure him and she doesn't know how long he can hold on." Laurel hides her face in her hands. "I'm sorry, Harry. I shouldn't talk about my problems when I'm supposed to be helping yours. I must sound so conceited."

            Harry really couldn't say anything. She didn't sound at all conceited. Here she was, her best friend was on the brink of dying, and she was worrying about him and Ron and how they'd get Hermione back. Before he could say anything to Laurel, the shed door was being banged on.

            "Harry! Open this door right now!!!" Ron was yelling from inside. 

            Laurel sniffs and tries to dry all her tears with her sleeve. "I better go get that. I'm the one who locked it in the first place." She hiccups from the tears. "It's my fault."

            Harry was standing frozen on the spot and watched Laurel unlatch the door to the shed and Ron run out and gasp for air. Hermione comes out and just stood there with her arms crossed, expecting an apology. Laurel had her back turned to all three of them. She obviously didn't want them to see her tears. Harry still felt that hard hit of jealousy in his gut, but he didn't really know what to say to Laurel about her situation, or what to say to Ron when he finds out that they saw and heard everything that went on in that shed. 


	9. Part 8 Hey You

            Ron just sat there, mouth ajar, staring at Harry in utter disbelief. They were playing wizard chess in the Gryffindor common room and it was slowly rounding on midnight. They hadn't talked much about Hogsmeade since they got back. Laurel explained to them that they should get together again soon for more progress, but that was it. Harry had just told Ron that he was under the window of the shed with Laurel when Hermione and himself were locked inside.

            Ron ceased to blink. "So…You heard and saw _everything_?" 

            Harry nods. "Don't get me wrong. Laurel and I were just listening in at first. Can't blame us for being a little bit curious. When Hermione started to cry, Laurel stood up and peered inside. I just followed."

            Ron slowly nodded. "Look, Harry, I'm really sorry. I didn't ask her to…"

            "Kiss you?" Harry finished for him.

            "Yeah." Ron said quietly.

            "That's okay. You don't need to apologize to me for anything." Harry says. His voice was still quite dull and dry. "I just can't help but wonder."

            "About what?" Ron asks.

            Harry hesitates. "If I was the first one to 'give it a go', as Laurel said, would that have happened to me?"

            "Who knows?" Ron replies very quietly.

            Harry tries to lift the mood a little bit. This was way too much pressure. "Well, I doubt that any guy would complain if they just came out of that shed."

            Ron laughs a short bit. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

            Harry shrugs and continues. "Just look at Hermione. She's pretty, smart, witty. Who wouldn't enjoy a kiss from her?"

            "Unless she was a bad kisser." Ron replies.

            He took Harry by surprise. "Was she??"

            Ron leans back in his chair and crosses his arms over his chest. He turns his head away so he didn't have to look at Harry. "I'm not saying it was horrible. It started out one-sided so,"

            Harry cut him off. "One-sided?" Ron flushes deep scarlet and Harry chuckles. "Don't worry about it. I won't tell anybody it happened. Unless you _want_ me to spread the word."

            "No!" Ron said in a rush. 

            "Don't worry." Harry repeats. "I won't. I promise. Anyways, after Laurel and I left the window…"

            "So you weren't watching the entire time." Ron butts in.

            Harry didn't answer right away. "What else happened that we should know about?"

            "Nothing!" Ron said truthfully. "Just you said you saw everything."

            Harry just ignores that and goes on. "Laurel was talking to me about Malfoy's potions. Did you know anything about the victims and how he chose them?"

            "Why would I know that?" Ron asks.

            "Dunno, just asking." Harry says. "Nevertheless, Laurel told me something quite important."

            "And what was that?" 

            "We all knew that there had been other victims before us." Harry points out. "You know how Laurel said that she didn't have any other friends other than us?"

            "Yeah, I remember." Ron nods. "Then again, what was with that Adam kid?"

            "That's part of my point. He apparently had been a friend of hers since her first year at Hogwarts."

            "What's the big deal? Her and Adam were friends, your point is…?" 

            "There had been one other boy. I think his name was Joel, not sure." Harry says.

            "I don't quite see where this is going." Ron replies. "Nobody said that we had to be her only two friends."

            "I know, I know." Harry answers. "What I'm trying to say is that maybe we should be helping Laurel too. She's done so much for us and we didn't really do anything for her."

            "And what does that have to do with Adam and Joel?" Ron asks.

            "Joel has been in the hospital wing since the last week of September, poisoned by one of Malfoy's potions." Harry finally says. "Laurel says Madam Pomfrey won't let them in because she doesn't know how much longer he's going to hang on."

            "So that's what her and Adam were talking about before breakfast." Ron nods to himself. "But what can we do? Not even wizards can reverse the effects of death if we don't have a sufficient spell. What had Pomfrey been doing to help this kid?"

            "She says there's nothing she can do but wait it out. There is no antidote. The bad part is that he's just getting worse and worse." Harry says. "There's a pretty good chance he's going to kick soon."

            "Why are you so determined to help this kid, Harry?" Asks Ron. 

            "Just something Laurel said."

            Ron leans forward. "And you can't tell me?"  
            "Fine, I'll tell you. Just don't laugh at me." Harry says.

            "I won't." Ron pretends to seal his lips.

            "When Hermione first kissed you, I got jealous. That's why I left the window. Laurel followed me. She said it was nothing to be upset over and she should know because she's had experience. I yelled at her asking how could she have any experience, without any friends. That's when she told me about Joel, Adam, and herself." Harry pauses for a second. "That's when she said, that's what happens in a guy-guy-girl relationship. You love them both to death, but one ends up being more like the twin-brother. The other turns out to be your other half. That's why she was so teary. She was afraid Joel was going to die and she'd never get the chance to tell him how she truly felt."

            Ron just stares at Harry. "That all came out of Laurel?" 

            Harry lifts his eyebrows to think for a moment. "Yup, I was surprised myself."

            "So, you think that it might be the same way with Hermione?" Ron dares to ask Harry.

            Harry smiles at Ron with a hint of evilness. "You're hopes are high, aren't they?"

            Ron flushes furiously once more. "I…"

            "Aw, hell, get off it." Harry finds himself sighing. "I'm not jealous anymore. It was more of a surprised jealousy than pure jealousy." _I still have Cho_, Harry thinks to himself. 

            "Damn, Harry." Ron mutters. "This is one bloody mess we're in, isn't it?"

            Harry just nods. "I think I'm gonna go to bed."

            "Okay." Ron takes his king and knocks over all of Harry's pieces. "I'll go too. I win."

"Fine with me." Harry groans from the tiredness and heavily climbs the steps to the boys dormitories, followed by Ron.   
*****

            Harry and Ron woke up the next morning and slowly got dressed to go down to breakfast. Ron was moaning to himself about being so groggy and that he felt hung-over. Harry just replied that that is how you feel if you go to bed with too much on your mind. He often felt like that when Voldemort was close and his scar would burn. He'd stay up and think about it before falling asleep and his head would feel so heavy in the morning. 

            They go into the Great Hall and sit down at the usual spot along the long wooden bench. Harry helped himself to some cereal while Ron piled bacon onto his plate. After a while, Hermione passed and looked at them shortly before walking on. Harry noticed that she had a different look in her eyes than before. That potion was slowly turning her brain around again. It was a very good sign. 

            "I don't see Laurel at the Ravenclaw table." Ron said. "Nowhere."

            Harry turns around in his seat as well and scans up and down the table. He spotted Cho, like always, and he also saw that Adam Baker. Adam was looking around feverishly as if trying to find someone as well. Harry couldn't think of any place that Laurel would be. She never oversleeps and she would be in the library anymore, unless she had homework that she had to make up. But in the homework area, Laurel was very similar to Hermione. She had things done before they were even assigned, it seemed.

            Harry pondered. "Maybe she finally got into the hospital wing."

            "Maybe." Ron says. "Hey, look. That Adam kid is getting up too. Should we follow?"

            "Might as well." Harry quickly finishes the last of his cereal and grabs a piece of toast to go. 

            The two leave the Great Hall and walk in the wake of Adam who, as they expected, was heading toward the hospital wing. When they get there, they let Adam go in first. They could hear the muffled voice of Madam Pomfrey talking to him. They lean in closer to see if they could make anything out.

            "I'm sorry, Mr. Baker, but I'm not sure." Madam Pomfrey was saying. 

            "Please, Madam Pomfrey?" Adam begged. "Could you at least tell me if Laurel is in there?"

            "I wasn't going to let her in myself, but then Headmaster Dumbledore stopped by and said she could." Madam Pomfrey explained. "I don't want to cause any disturbances."

            "I won't be bothering anybody." Adam says. "I just want to sit for a while, and if Laurel is there, I want to talk with her."

            "It's alright, Madam Pomfrey." Came Dumbledore's voice. "Let Mr. Baker in for now."

            "Oh," Madam Pomfrey sighed. "Alright, off you go. Just don't make too much noise!"

            "Thank you, Headmaster…Madam Pomfrey." Said Adam and his footsteps faded into the patient's room. 

            "Well, we know where Laurel is." Ron said.

            "Let's try to get in." Harry suggests and the two boys round the corner and bump right into Dumbledore, who was leaving.

            "Good Morning." He says.

            "Professor Dumbledore." Harry replies, surprised. "Morning."

            "Harry," Ron whispered. "Dumbledore!"

            It hit Harry just then as well. Through out this whole time, Harry and Ron were bumbling around with Laurel trying to find a cure for Hermione, and they had not even gone to Dumbledore. They had known where the lair was where all the potions were being made. They knew who was making them and who was giving them out. This whole time, and it didn't even occur to them to go and see Dumbledore. Their mouths hung open with the shock.

            "Professor Dumbledore!" Ron quickly shouts. "We know where the lair is!"

            "The potions! They…" Harry tries to back up his friend when Dumbledore holds up his hand for them to stop talking.

            "I am well aware that you two know where the lair was." Dumbledore replies.

            "What?" Ron asked rudely.

            "Well, we know who's making them as well." Harry says.

            "Yes, I know that as well." Dumbledore smiles. "And don't you two fret, we are taking this situation into our own hands. We're just going at a much slower pace than usual. We don't want to attract do much attention, now do we?"

            "Um, no sir." Harry agrees.

            "I suppose that some might say we are wasting time, but we aren't." Dumbledore continues. "I guess you could say that I'm letting the person responsible for this think they are getting away with it for a little while longer. Now, if you two boys will excuse me. I have to go to the fifth floor. I have to see a certain Poltergeist who had bewitched a particular urinal in the fifth floor washroom."

            "Professor Dumbledore! May we go inside as well? We want to visit Joel and Laurel." Harry says.

            "Ah, yes, Mr. Olestra. We are indeed keeping a close watch on him." Dumbledore reminds himself. "But I am afraid that you cannot go in right now."

            "But Laurel and Adam are in there!" Ron argues.

            "Yes, but I believe Miss DeGrope and Mr. Baker know him better than you do." Dumbledore replies. "Even though I do believe in the saying 'Misery loves Company', I do not enforce it. Now, classes start up again soon, so maybe you should get there a little earlier. Make a good impression. I have to be off before Peeves bewitches any more urinals. Good Day." He walks off.

            Ron chuckles. "Bewitched urinal. Feel sorry for the poor bloke who decides to take a wiz there."

            Harry stared after Dumbledore. "He knew all along. That's Dumbledore for you."

            "Oh yeah," Ron brakes Harry's train of thought. "Should we go in?" He points to the hospital wing.

            Harry shakes his head. "No. If Dumbledore left, I doubt Madam Pomfrey would let us in too."

            "I guess you're right." Ron gives in and him and Harry leave to go to class.

            On their way down the staircase, they see Hermione standing at the bottom. It looked as if she was waiting for someone. She looked up when she heard their footsteps and smiles slightly. "Hello."

            "Hi." Harry says back.

            "I was just wondering," Hermione asks sort of timidly. "If we were still planning on having a lesson this afternoon, or if you two are sick of it?"

            "I'm not sick of it." Ron says.

            "Another lesson is fine with me." Harry adds.

            "Great." Hermione smiles. "I'll see you after lunch. Until then, have a nice day, Weasley, Potter." She starts to walk away.

            "Wait." Harry says.

            "Yes?" Hermione turns around.

            "Did you just call me Potter?" Harry asks.

            Hermione shrugs but keeps that smile on her face. "Better than 'Hey You', though, right? See you."

            "This is really good, Harry!" Ron says hoarsely after Hermione turns the corner. "We're getting a lot closer."

            Things were just getting better and better as they day went on. In their first class, Transfiguration, Hermione 'accidentally' sat next to them for the lesson. She said that there were no more seats open, but there was still one right next to Parvarti. They were working on the Vanishing Spell. Hermione helped Ron and Harry along as they tried to make gerbils disappear. By the end of class, Harry still had a foot left and Ron, disgustingly, had the head left. Hermione, of course, had successfully made four gerbils vanish. 

            Today was scheduled for double Charms, so the two had plenty of time to talk to Laurel. She sat in-between the boys but pointed out to them that Hermione, who was sitting in front of them, peered back at them occasionally. Harry and Ron told her of the small bits of progress made in Transfiguration and in the short meeting after they left the hospital wing. Laurel didn't talk much about Joel, even though Harry and Ron asked her about it. She just simply said that he was a bit pale. Towards the end of class, even Adam (who was sitting on the other side of the room) came and sat next to them. 

            "So you two know about all this potion stuff?" He asked Harry and Ron.

            "Yes." Harry replied. "Our friend was forced to drink one. We saw her."

            "Now she doesn't remember us." Ron finished. "With a lot of help from Laurel, here, we made our own potion to help counter its effects."

            "Too bad ours doesn't have one of those." Adam says quietly to Laurel. 

Laurel nods. 

"So, if you saw her, you know who's been doing this?" Adam asks.

"Yup." Ron scowls but lowers his voice. "Malfoy."

"That Draco kid?" Adam curls up his nose in disgust. 

Laurel nods again. 

"Why would he be doing this in the first place?" Adam asks.

Harry shrugs. "Most likely for fun."

"Bastard." Laurel finally says.

Adam smiles and puts his arm around Laurel's shoulder. "That's my Lolly."

"You can drop the nickname." Laurel says.

"You used to like it." Adam replies in a playful voice. 

Laurel just sits there with her eyes closed, blushing. 

"Anyways," Adam straightens up and takes his arm away from Laurel. "If this ever all comes down to a fight, make sure I'm there. I want to give that Malfoy a good one-two." 

"Sure thing." Harry nods.

Laurel speaks up. "Back up in the hospital wing, you said it was wrong for a guy to cry over another."

Adam makes a weird face. "It is. But there's nothing wrong with pounding the shit outta the person who did it and made _you_ cry."

"Finally someone who wants to pound the living shit outta Malfoy too." Ron says happily. "I'm starting to like you, Baker."

"Because we agree on one thing?" Adam asks.

"If that one thing is beating Malfoy to a pulp, then sure." Ron nods.

Laurel just sighs. "Men."

Harry looked down at the row in front of him just in time to see Hermione turn around quickly. He smiled to himself for a short while before going back to the charm they were supposed to be working on. At least now they had two more fists on their side.   
            


	10. Part 9 Please Wait

            There were three weeks left until Christmas Break. Harry wasn't quite sure that his little plan about bringing Hermione to visit Hagrid would work. It would indeed be nice to give it a try, but at the moment there was a good three feet of snow all over the grounds at Hogwarts. There were a few trials made that led to the greenhouses for Herbology, but that was pretty much it. Plus, with all this homework, they'd only have time to go in the evening. That would mean having to use the invisibility cloak and it would look rather silly watching long trenches appear in the snow made by nothing. 

So, that plan was scratched out of the plan for the time being, and hopefully for ever. The book at said that the Reminisce Remedy took about two months for the patient to completely recover. It has been one month and a week. Laurel herself had said that Hermione is taking extraordinary leaps towards revitalization a lot quicker than the book implied. 

One dark and dreary afternoon, Harry and Ron sat in the library with Hermione. The clouds were thick outside and snow steadily fell to the ground adding to the drifts over the large windows. The lesson for that day was a little more than halfway through and the two boys were already bored with it. Hermione had apparently noticed for she was prodding Harry with her finger and running her quill under Ron's nose at the same time. Ron sneezed and came back to reality as did Harry, without the sneeze. 

"Are you two sure you don't want to quit?" Hermione asks.

"Not unless you want to." Ron replies casually and continues to draw the Chudley Cannons logo on the side of his parchment. 

"Okay." Hermione looks at him oddly. She starts to pack up her books. "I'm a little hungry, so how about we just discuss a few of our lessons for a short review over some lunch."

"Sounds good to me." Says Harry, whose stomach was growling all the same. 

The three head to the Great Hall and enter. They search for a good seat along the Gryffindor Table. Harry and Ron catch Laurel's eye for a second. She was sitting next to Adam. She gives them a quick wink and a thumbs-up. Adam taps her on the shoulder and points at Hermione while what looked to be asking a question. Laurel smiles at nods her head to him. He rises his eyebrows and goes back to tucking into his Shepard's Pie. 

Harry, Ron, and Hermione find an empty bench and have a seat. They all take their share of the food surrounding them, including the ham sandwiches, fish and chips, beef stew, and many other delectable lunch items. Hermione didn't seem to really care about the review; she just wanted lunch. So, they just chatted with their mouths half full of food with one hand holding their napkin while the other grasped their goblets full of Pumpkin Juice. 

They sat there throughout the lunch period and got their bags once the bell had rung to signal ten minutes before class was going to start. Harry and Ron had to go to Divination, but Hermione had Arithmancy.  They were all heading in the same direction when they got to the fifth floor. It was there that all their trouble started. Just thinking of it, they glanced over down the opposite hall to the griffin statue. Harry headed back to the North Tower when Ron stopped him by grabbing the sleeve of his robes.

"Harry, what's that?" Ron asks, pointing back down the corridor towards the statue.

Harry turned to look what he was talking about.

Hermione was still there so she had input as well. "Looks like a pile of robes."

"Wait a minute." Harry says as he focuses closer on the mound. "There's a foot sticking out. That's a person."

"Right by that lair too." Ron adds and walks quickly down the hall to get a closer look. 

He gets to  the person and kneels down. Carefully as not to hurt them if they were already too injured to stand, Ron slides his hand under the person's neck and rolls them over onto their back. The robes unfold themselves as they were resituated and revealed a skirt underneath them. It was a girl.

"Harry," Ron says in a worried voice. "You better come and see this."

Harry looks at Hermione and then goes down the corridor to be beside Ron. Hermione follows. Harry's eyes get bigger as he looks down at Cho. She looked a little paler than usual, but that wasn't as surprising as the bruises that covered her face, neck, and what her robes would show of her legs and arms. Hermione gets down on one knee opposite of Ron to look Cho over. 

Hermione taps Cho's cheek a few times. "She's out cold. Who would have done this to her?"

Ron looked up at Harry. They both knew who. 

"Why won't she wake up?" Harry asks in a shaky tone. 

Hermione puts her hand to Cho's mouth. "She's still breathing. The only thing I can think of is the Draught of Peace. But that is only supposed to subdue and relax the person, not knock them out. Unless, they added the ingredients a little heavier than instructed." Hermione pauses to think again. "Cho must have had to take the potion as a test in class but didn't pass out until the got all the way up here."

"No, that's not how it happened." Harry spit out. 

"Harry, help me prop her up." Ron says as he loops his arm under one of Cho's shoulders. "We'll take her to the Hospital Wing and see what Madam Pomfrey can do."

"That's a good idea." Hermione agrees and moves out of the way for Harry to grab Cho's other arm. 

Harry and Ron lift Cho up between them and head off to the Hospital Wing with Hermione behind them. They get there, with a little trouble going down the stairs, and have Hermione knock on the door to get Madam Pomfrey's attention. She comes out and instantly gives a tiny yelp at the sight of another patient. They put Cho in a bed and Madam Pomfrey takes a wet rag to dab off the tiny traces of blood and dirt across her face. 

"Give me a little room, you three." Madam Pomfrey pushes them away from the bed. "I need to go make a report and grab a few things. You may wait here if you want, but don't touch anything that looks important." She sets off to her office.

"Oh, my." Came a gasp from behind them.

Ron and Harry turned to see Laurel standing there with her hands over her mouth. 

"What are you doing here?" Ron asks.

Laurel tilts her head to the left, gesturing to three beds down. "Visiting. What happened here?"

"We found her in a heap right outside the lair on the fifth floor." Harry replies.

"I hope she'll be alright." Laurel says. "Is she just knocked out?"

"It's more likely the effects of an overly-powerful Draught of Peace. If she doesn't stir by dinner time, we might have a small problem on our hands." Hermione said from the side. "It's not very likely, but she might even slip into a coma if Madam Pomfrey doesn't give her the medicine right away. But, of course, she'll have something."

"That's good for Cho." Laurel nods.

"Well," Ron finally said something. "It's good to know that Malfoy is getting resistance now."

"What do you mean by that?" Harry asked.

"Look at those bruises." Ron points out. "She must have put up some sort of fight. Either that, or she took a pretty good tumble down those stairs."

Harry just looked down at Cho lying there sleeping. He knew this had to end soon. He wanted to get Malfoy out of this business, and in a pretty good hurry. Malfoy had already gotten Hermione, and now he got Cho. It felt like he was targeting Harry's best reasons for coming to Hogwarts other than Quidditch and getting away from the Dursley's. He didn't know what he was going to do now. If the next victim is Ron, he might lose the temper that was slowly but eventually boiling to the surface these days. 

"Who are you visiting, Laurel?" Hermione asks, interrupting Harry's thoughts.

"A friend." Laurel replies.

Hermione cranks her head around everybody to look down the row of beds. "Is that him down there?"

Laurel just nods and walks down to the fourth bed on the right side of the room. She gets down on her knees and puts her elbows on the mattress, pillowing her chin in her palms. Hermione had followed her and Harry and Ron didn't see why they shouldn't as well. Hermione had taken the clipboard from the base of the bed and was glancing it over. 

Harry and Ron followed Laurel's gaze into the boy in the bed. It was true that he was a bit peaky, pink in the cheeks, and a little moist around the forehead. His dirty-blonde hair was just like Harry's if he ever got it to be tidy. Even from his point of view, Harry could say that Joel was a pretty handsome guy. Every once in a while he would grit his teeth and moan as if he was having a nightmare, while griping the edge of his bed sheets. His breathing was a little labored and his throat occasionally wheezed. 

"That's strange." Hermione broke the silence after setting down Joel's analysis. "You'd think they'd have a cure for everything here. The papers said 'cure still in process'. Is that true, Laurel?"

"Yeah, it is." Laurel says. 

Madam Pomfrey made her entrance once more and was holding a flask and shot glass this time. "Alright, Miss Chang. It's time to sober you up."

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Laurel stand up to watch Madam Pomfrey fill the small glass with liquid from the flask and tip it down Cho's throat.

"Come on, now." Madam Pomfrey coaxes. "Swallow it, there."

"Is she going to be okay, Madam Pomfrey?" Harry asks.

"In time, Mr. Potter, in time." Madam Pomfrey nods. "Thanks for bringing her up, now if you could all scurry out of here. You too, Miss DeGrope. Off you go. You have classes in session, so be quiet as you go!"

"Yes, Madam Pomfrey." All four sigh and head out the door of the Hospital Wing. 

"I'll see you later." Hermione waves as she heads off to Arithmancy. 

"I have Astronomy." Laurel says. "I need to head back that way. Thanks for visiting Joel, even though it was for a minute or two. It doesn't look like it, but he knows when he has company." Laurel laughs a little. "It sounds like I'm talking about some retarded two year-old."

"You're welcome, anyways, Laurel." Harry replies.

"Sorry to hear about Cho. I have to get going. See you." Laurel leaves.

"Well," Ron sighs. "It's off to Trelawney's."

"Joy." Harry mumbled. "I wonder how I am going to die today."

"I can see it now!" Ron puts on a mocking high pitched voice, trying to sound like Professor Trelawney. "That dream you had about shopping for boxers in London means that you will be strangled by a Salesman with a tie after he tries to feed you poisoned chocolate."

They both laugh and head towards the North Tower and Divination.

*****

"Hermione, what are you doing there?" Harry almost yelled across the corridor. 

It was after Divination and Ron and him were heading back down to the main floors. They passed the fifth floor when they saw Hermione standing in front of the griffon statue.  She looked over at them and wasn't really surprised to see them, or didn't go to flee as if she was being caught for something illegal. Harry and Ron go up to her and she just continued to stare at the statue.

"What's wrong?" Ron asks.

"I was in class when I started to think about what we saw earlier." Hermione whispers, as if someone was watching them.

"What we saw earlier?" Ron looks at her confused.

"What happened to Cho couldn't have been coincidence." Hermione replies. "There's this little voice in the back of my mind telling me to come back here. I am so confused. I'm having these flashbacks. I don't know what they mean."

Harry began to entice her along. "What are these flashbacks of?"

Hermione closes her eyes and puts her hands on her head. "I see this dark room. I'm standing there next to this kid who's talking low and soft. I remember being angry. And then, I feel like I'm going to be sick to my stomach."

"The night she was attacked." Ron says to himself quietly. 

"I then hear someone shout my name." Hermione continues. "I feel dizzy and everything is a blur. Then I come back to reality."

"Hermione," Harry says. "What does that have to do with this griffin?"

Hermione opens her eyes and stares straight ahead. "I remember waking up on the floor in front of this statue. I don't know why I couldn't remember it when we saw Cho this afternoon. When I woke, someone was standing next to me, and offered me a hand so I could stand up. I asked who he was."

"Who was he?" Harry asks.

Hermione shakes her head. "I don't remember."

"Oh! Harry, Ron!" Laurel comes running down toward them. "Oh, I'm sorry. Am I disturbing something?"

Before Harry or Ron could answer, Hermione had reached out her hand and placed it on the griffin's shoulder. She muttered something under her breath and the statue winked at them. It slow moved away and the wall split in two, revealing a long stair case. Laurel, behind them, gasped. Ron's mouth hung open. 

"I think we should go in." Harry says.

"Are you mad?" Ron asks.

Harry eyes Ron. "Malfoy is obviously waiting for us."

Ron nods encouragingly. "You're right. Let's go."

Hermione and Ron enter the landing and Harry follows. Laurel quickly tries to come too but Harry pushes her away.

"Harry?"

"Look after Cho and Joel until we get back, okay?" Harry says.

"Wait. Can't I go with you?" Laurel asks.

"Don't worry, we'll avenge Malfoy for you too." Harry assures and turns his back on her.

"Wait." Laurel repeats and turns him around. Harry saw that she had tears in her eyes.

"Let's go, Harry." Ron urged. "Hermione looks as if she might pass out. We need to get a little more information out of her if we're going to do this now."

"You're right." Harry says to Ron. "See you, Laurel."

"Wait!" Laurel's words were cut out by the wall closing together again. You could hear her bang her fists against the stone. "I'll go get help!"

"No, Laurel. Just watch after yourself. We're fine." Harry says.

"Tell Baker we're sorry he couldn't get in on the fight." Ron calls. "He'll have to have a go with Malfoy after we're done with him."

"Please wait!" Laurel cries. "I don't want to lose you guys to this shit too!" You could tell that she had started to cry. "I don't want you two to end up like Joel as well!"

"Don't worry, we won't." Ron says. "It's not the first time we've done something like this. We've gotten into things much worse than this."

"We haven't got time to row this out." Harry says to Ron. "We have to get going. We'll have to ignore her."

"Poor Laurel." Hermione whispers to herself.

"Wait!" Laurel bangs on the wall. She didn't get an answer. "Ron? Harry? Wait! Please? PLEASE!!"

Harry turns away from the wall and follows Ron and Hermione across the landing until they get to the long staircase. The only direction they could go now…was down. 


	11. Part 10 Cheers

            Once Harry turned away from the secret door, he realized how dark, damp, and dismal the place really was. Hermione was hugging herself over in the corner while Ron was looking down the long staircase. There was no point in just standing there, when what they've been waiting to do for months was down those steps. Harry walked over to Ron and looked down with him. Ron had this determined look on his face, yet he also looked blind by the bravery that wasn't there. They look at each other, sigh, and then take the first few steps down.

            Hermione comes out of her little corner. "You two can't be serious."

            "Actually, we are." Ron says.

            "He's not a bad person, I know it." Hermione shakes her head. "It's only a memory. Who says it has to be the truth?"

            "Ask the people in the hospital wing." 

            "Harry, let's just leave it to someone else." Hermione says.

            "But, Hermione, we're the only people who know about this except for Dumbledore." Harry replies.

            "And what's wrong with leaving it to him? He's one of the best wizards out there." 

            "She's got a point, Harry." Ron says.

            Harry turns to Ron. "I'd think you of all people would want to continue. What about all we've been through this year? We should be able to at least throw in a good punch or two."

            "Then Laurel deserves to be here just as much as we do." Ron looks back at the door.

            "She's not used to this stuff." Harry says. "It's not like I felt bad shunning her. She might get hurt."

            Ron pauses to think for a second. "Hermione, you stay up here then. If Malfoy knows you're getting better, he'll probably try to pull the same act he did on you to begin with."

            "You crazy?" Hermione steps closer to Ron and looks into his eyes. "I'm not going to sit here and watch you two walk into danger. I wouldn't do that. Something, deep down, is telling me that this isn't the first time you two have stuck your neck out for me."

            Both Harry and Ron open their mouths to say something but Hermione stops them.

            "Please don't leave me here. Alone. In the dark." She sobs. "I've been in the dark a lot lately. I can't remember my own life! This is all so confusing. But if what you said happened actually did, I want to face it as well."

            "Okay." Harry says. "Let's go."

            Harry starts to go down the steps first. Hermione follows him and Ron bring up the rear as they all give a last look to the landing behind the hidden door. Everything was a murky gray mixed with eerie blue. The clinking of their shoes against the stone echoed off the stairway walls as they slowly descended into the chamber. Though they wore their thick robes, goose bumps gradually invaded their arms and legs as the hair on the back of their necks stood up. 

            The steps progressively curved to the left as they went father down. It seemed as though they had been walking for hours. Nobody talked and all you could hear were gentle breathing sounds and an occasional sniff of a nose. As dim like trickled onto the steps, the three reached into the robe pocket for their wand. They were getting closer. 

            The chamber was bigger than Harry and Ron remembered. It still smelled of apothecary goods and putrid vomit. The stones that built the floor were slowly turning green on the edges. Torches on the walls blazed an awkward auburn, leaving the lair dimly lit. As their eyes adjusted, Hermione slowly crept behind the two boys. Her eyes were wide and her face pale.

            "This place…" She says softly. "It looks familiar."

            "It should." Harry whispers.

            "Why are you whispering?" Ron asks.

            "I'm not sure." Harry replies. "But I am sure that Malfoy is somewhere in here."

            "What about that secret room he had?" Ron looks over in the direction of the far wall.

            Harry nods. "Yeah. That's where he does everything."

            "Is it really his fault?" Hermione asks from behind them.

            Harry and Ron turn to her and nod.

            "It doesn't make sense." Hermione says softly. "I remember waking up in the corridor just outside that door. He was standing next to me. He asked me if I was alright and if he could help me get back on my feet. If he did this to me, why would he be nice to me then?"

            Ron rolls his eyes. "To get you on his side."

            "Don't worry, Hermione. We'll get you fully back." Harry says. 

            Hermione looks down at the ground. "But, how? Is that even possible?"

            "You're almost there." Harry reassures. "You know our last names…but for some reason it's our first names that will make the potion complete."

            "Exactly. That's what makes watching you three so much fun…This dilemma certainly shows off your stupidity." 

            Malfoy's voice rebounded throughout the chamber. 

            Harry, Ron, and Hermione look all around but can't find him.

            "Famous Harry Potter…what will you do now?" Malfoy questions. "You've only gotten this far because of that little mouse DeGrope."

"You're a coward, hiding like this." Ron mumbles.

"You may think that," Malfoy says. "Go ahead, Weasley. But, I bet you're as confused as your little scar-head buddy. It may look idiotic, to make a potion to have Granger loose her memory. Futile though it may seem, I'm not only destroying a friendship…I'm destroying the one person who believes he has to be the hero of Hogwarts. Without your friends, you're nobody, am I right? That way, with you three out of the picture, I'm free to go."

"Dumbledore knows about you." Harry replies. 

"So?" Malfoy spits. "That old fart can't do anything to me. When Father hears that he threatens me, he'll probably be thrown out of Hogwarts. But what does that matter? For now, it's just you and me."

The torches on the wall grow bigger flames and the three finally focus their eyes on Malfoy, standing on a small platform towards the far end of the lair. He had his arms crossed across his chest and in his right hand he held a flask, obviously filled with a new potion. Gazing at them with those snake-like eyes he smiled maliciously and tossed his blonde bangs out of his eyes. Hermione whined a little bit behind the two boys.

"Why?" She whispered to herself. 

"Stop asking yourself that, you little mudblood." Malfoy sneers. "You're more of a muggle than I thought you were. Sitting there, crying to yourself like a little baby. Pathetic. Grit you teeth and deal with it you big loafer!"

Malfoy suddenly yelped in pain and dropped the flask. He quickly held onto his hand and cradled it to him. On it was a large, deep red, burn mark. Next to Ron, Harry stood with his wand raised. A simple burn charm, nothing too fancy, but it was something to at least shut the bastard up. On the same note, it made Malfoy drop the flask.

"Challenge accepted." Malfoy says after brushing his hands off on his robes. "But try getting to me."

Malfoy points his own wand and the ground and it suddenly felt like an earthquake. They all tried running toward him, but the shaking to worse. Suddenly, dust started raining from the ceiling as rocks came loose and plummeted to the floor. A large one pinned Harry to the ground by the legs. Hermione stopped to help him, but it was no use. He couldn't get free. She continued to follow Ron by Harry's order, only to get pinned down herself by another boulder. Ron was the only one left free. 

Malfoy snickers. The earthquake subsided. 

"Looks like you're in a spot of trouble… aren't you, Weasley?" Malfoy laughs. "You got the Hero and the Brain both unable to help you."

"Oh, I got enough anger to pound you to hell any day." Ron answers. 

"Big talk, but can you back it up?" 

Ron takes his wand and performs the simple levitation charm on a nearby rock and throws it at Malfoy who easily dodges it. Just then, Ron thought of using that charm on Harry and Hermione to free them. But…with rocks that big, if the charm failed, they would fall back on them and possibly crush them. He was all by himself on this one, even though he didn't want to be. It was either stand and fight, or loose everything, including his dignity. 

Through a jumble and clutter of attacks and hexes, the two boys duel and crusade around the chamber. Dodging and blocking, running and leaping, cursing and groaning. Ron was surprised with himself how well he was doing. Maybe he paid attention in class without realizing it. Those thoughts got to his head and Ron let he guard drop. The next thing he knew, Malfoy had the mind-control curse on him and he was struggling just to stand under his own will. 

"Not so big now, are you, Weasley?" Malfoy asks as he advances on Ron.

All Ron could do was look up at him with a furrowed brow.

"On your knees." 

Ron dropped.

"Head up."

All he could see was the black ceiling.

"No!!" Hermione's voice called across the room. She wriggled and squirmed under the rock, trying to free her legs. 

"Don't try to force it, Hermione." Harry says, although he was also trying to free himself feverishly. 

"I can't just lay here and watch it!" Hermione moans.

"You think I want to?" Harry asks out of frustration. _Fight it, Ron!_ Harry thinks.

Malfoy looks over at the two for a second, only to turn back to his victim. "Open your mouth."

Ron's jaw dropped.

Malfoy walks away to retrieve the flask that flew from his grasp.

_Ah, shit!!_ Harry could just watch as Malfoy picks it up and takes out the cork. Everything he feared was coming true. First he lost Hermione, and then Cho, and how Ron was next. Everybody he cared about; everything that was Hogwarts was being taken away by this Pale Little Imp. He tried to pull himself out from under the boulder, but it only hurt worse. He looked next to him and Hermione was continued to struggle against the rock. She looked as if she was going to explode.

"Cheers." Malfoy says in a deep voice as he put the lip of the flask against Ron's lips and began to pour. "Swallow."

The Adam's apple in Ron's throat moved up and down.

"Damn it." Harry curses.

"…No…" Hermione whimpered beside him. 

Harry looks over at her. She was laying flat against the cold stone floor. With her palms down, she pushed herself up and opened her eyes. They glowed with a new light that Harry hadn't seen since the beginning of the year. Tears flowed down her cheeks and into the crevice of her lips. She closed her eyes and was shaking as if trying to vomit. 

"Hermione?" Harry asked quietly.

Hermione's eyes burst open once more as another river erupted from her hazelnut eyes. "NO!! RON!!"

Malfoy's head quickly turned toward her with a look of odium in his eyes. He threw the flask to the ground. Ron falls over on all fours and coughs, trying to heave. 

"How did you break it?" Malfoy yells in irritation. "There's no possible way!"

"You're just upset that we outsmarted you." Hermione replies. "Once again."

"Die, bitch." Malfoy raises his wand.

Out of nowhere, his eyes go wide and he falls flat on his face. Ron stood behind him, his weight balanced on one side like a drunk man. His eyes were half closed and a little bit of vomit was left on the side of his mouth. Without saying anything, he uses a minimizing charm on the boulders that trapped Harry and Hermione so all they had to do was remove a tiny pebble from their back. 

Hermione got up and ran after Ron, lacing her arms around his neck.  Harry got up himself and went to join them, but didn't give out any hugs. Hermione remembered Ron. She hasn't said his name yet. It left him somewhat sad. But, hopefully, it was an all exclusive package. One where you remember one guy, the other comes with it. 

Hermione unlatches herself from Ron and turns to Harry. "Thank you for believing in me. It's all because of you guys."

She gives Harry a hug too. 

"Thank you, Harry."

Harry smiles. "It's great to have you back, Hermione."

He couldn't wait to get back up to the fifth floor corridor. There, with a bit of luck, Laurel was waiting for him. Then, he could thank her endlessly.  

The three leave Malfoy's unconscious body to lay on the cold stone as they all began to climb the steps that led them down here. Everything was looking up, and now that Malfoy was stopped, the people in the hospital wing could recover without worry. It was only about a short hour ago when they stood at the top of the landing looking down, fearing for the future. Now, as the three stood there once more and gazed down the stone steps, they felt as if they left all their fears behind. There was no more threat…therefore; there shall be no more uncertainties. 


	12. Part 11 Reverse Psychology

            "What the _HELL_ were you thinking?!?" Were the first words that met Harry's ears as the secret door slid back open. It was Laurel of course. "There I was, actually pleading for you to take me with you, but what do you do? You slam everything in my face! Just for one second, if I let the bitterness in my soul get to me right now, I'd pound you flat."

            Harry stands there in slight shock for a while. Waiting for Laurel to deliver a blow. Instead, Laurel's lovely olive-green eyes blur up with tears and she flings her arms around his neck in a tight embrace. It felt a little strange to him. Well, the only other girl who'd ever hugged him before was Hermione. There was that one short fluke with Fleur last year, but that didn't quite count—he had saved her sister. Harry hears chuckling from behind him and turns his head to see Hermione covering her mouth with her free hand. The other one was helping support Ron.

            "Sir Potter, you bastard." Ron says with raspy tone, still a little sick from the potion. "Letting a girl worry."

            Laurel lets go of Harry and rushes over to Ron. She feels his forehead with the back of her hand. "Damn, boy, you're burning up. What happened down there?"

            "Nothing to brag about, that's for sure," Ron replies.

            "Um, Laurel," Hermione pipes up. She sounded like a little mouse.

            "Hm? What is it?" Laurel says in her normal 'he-man' voice.

            "I'd like to, uh, thank you."

            "Thank me? For what?"

            "For helping me get back to…me." Hermione gives a small laugh. 

            "How do you know it was me?" Laurel asks. "It's not like you _know_ you drank that potion."

            "I could only assume." Hermione answers. "From what Harry and Ron told me, I was quite the witch. Well, witch as in being a bitch. Nothing could have changed my personality that drastically than some altering potion, and the only way to cure those is with another. Two and two equals four." She smiles.

            Laurel looks over her shoulder at Harry. "You're right, she is a smart little knit sock, isn't she?"

            Harry nods with a "true that" expression.

            Ron breaks the awkward silence by vomiting all over the floor. 

            Laurel winces a bit. "Yeah, that's right, get Ronald up to the hospital wing. Better out than in, but please, not on my shoes."

            Harry grins as Laurel and Hermione flank Ron and help him waddle down the corridor to the infirmary. Everything was back to normal, yet everything had changed. Hermione was back but she had this air to her voice. One that made it seem like she felt timid and precocious. It was like there was still something to worry about. Something might be lurking around the corner. Oh well, they'd cross that bridge when they came to it. They always did that as a group, and what was the point of stopping now? Harry jogs a little bit to catch up with the rest.

            "My, my, I keep on telling those house elves to watch what they cook in those kitchens. They usually do such a good job, but…" Madame Pomfrey was saying when Ron came to the door, still coughing up stomach acids (there was nothing left to chuck). 

            Hermione, still hoping to liberate those elves, said, "No, no, Madame Pomfrey. This has nothing to do with the food. He just needs to rest of a potion."

            "Dear me, another one?" Madame Pomfrey gasps.

            "Thankfully, this will be the last." Laurel comes in. "Thanks to him and Harry."

             "Oo." Madame Pomfrey purses her lips. "You two were up to no good again, weren't you?"

            "Uh, guilty?" Harry says as Ron doubles over in a dry heave.

            "Stop trying to force it, Ronald, we know you're sick already!" Laurel pounds a flat palm on his back.

            "You _think_ I'm _trying_ to do this on _purpose_?" Ron glares at her. 

            "Just kidding." Laurel smiles. "Love you." She puts an arm around his shoulder.

            Ron just groans.

            Madame Pomfrey takes Ron from Hermione's shoulder and leads him to a chair by one of the beds. She then left to her office to get some antidote. Everyone just stood there in an idle chatter. Harry and Ron mostly stayed by each other while Hermione and Laurel got the chance to get acquainted. You could say that Hermione was so used to the boys that meeting a new girl was quite exciting. 

            "So, what got you to help, may I ask?" Hermione says.

            "Eh, what can I say, Harry and Ron were sort of helpless. Without you, that is." Laurel replies. "I met them when I was mistaken for spying on one of their conversations. The only words I remember them saying were 'damn you, Malfoy' etcetera, etcetera. But half of it was because I finally found someone who might help me as well."

            "What do you mean?" 

            "I had lost someone to those potions too." Laurel continues. "I was planning on researching antidotes myself, so I used some of the time in the library when I was with them to look up stuff for me."

            "What happened to this person?" Hermione asks.

            "Well, you see," Laurel turns her whole body to face the bed that Joel was kept. 

            She gasps. The bed was empty. The sheets were cleaned and pressed and freshly tucked into the mattress. The clipboard at the end of the frame was gone, all the 'get well' cards were missing, her usual visiting chair was all the way at the end of the corridor. The pillow didn't even have an indentation where his head would have sat for the past three months or so. 

            "Where is he? What happened?" Laurel says louder. 

            Harry and Ron looked as well.

            "Would you look at that?" Ron says bluntly.

            Laurel goes over to the bed and runs her hands over the bedspread. "I just don't get it. If something had happened, you'd think they'd come and tell me…"

            "Laurel!" A shout came from the doorway. Adam comes running in. "Where have you been? I have been looking for you all night."

            "I was on the fifth floor by the griffin statue." Laurel's voice was far away; you could hardly tell where she was going with it.

            "Why the heck where you over there?" Adam demands.

            Laurel shakes her head back into reality. "I was waiting for the hero and his sidekick!" She points to Harry and Ron. "And, of course, the damsel in distress." Referring to Hermione.

            "Ugh!" Adam shudders. He goes to put his hands on Laurel's shoulders, but stops them in midair; opens his mouth to say something, but the words don't come out. He sighs heavily. "Anyways, I've been looking for you to tell you that Joel had been released."

            Laurel's face lightens. "When? When did he wake up?"

            "At about eleven thirty last night."

            "Where is he?" Laurel asks. "I want to see him. Did he say anything?"

            "You ask so many questions." Adam sighs. "And what am I supposed to say he said? The typical: Where am I? What happened? God, I have one bitch of a headache."

            Laurel laughs and hugs Adam. He looked surprised. Ron, from his chair, tugs at the sleeve of Harry's robes to get his attention.

            "It's like a Ravenclaw version of us, isn't it?"

            "I guess you could say that." Harry answers. "Wait a minute,… yup, you still have those high hopes that she remembers."

            "Well," Ron's voice gets muffled with embarrassment. "Part of me wishes she would. Another doesn't."

            "Care to elaborate?" Harry says.

            Ron sighs and takes a sip of the glass of water Madame Pomfrey had just delivered with a bag of powder to mix in. "I remember when we first met Hermione. I hated her. She was so snotty and prissy. It all changed when I saw her eyes that night she was trapped in the bathroom with the troll. Her scared expression. It gave me this feeling of determination. I felt like I had to protect her…no matter what happened. Over the years that grew and I didn't know what that extra feeling was. I then realized, oh, about the end of the second year, beginning of the third, that Hermione wasn't just Hermione anymore. She was more than that to me. I knew then that I…that I was in love with her."

            Ron pauses to mix the powder in with his water. It turned a tangy orange. Plugging his nose, Ron chugged the whole thing and then puts the glass back down on the bedside table. Harry didn't quite understand Ron at that moment. He was about to say that he was wrong. That he wasn't in love with Hermione. She's just a really close friend. You're getting your emotions mixed up! But then Harry knew that this pang he was feeling was that jealousy again. He was the famous Harry Potter, shouldn't he be the first to feel that stinging pound in his heart? No offense to his best friend, but he couldn't imagine Ron actually in love with someone. Hermione too, of all girls. Wouldn't that ruin their friendship? Their trio? 

            "I didn't want to believe it, but I couldn't escape it." Ron continues. "Last year when she was going out with Viktor, I always felt my fists clenching whenever she talked about him. I suppose it was that jealousy stuff. I can't quite explain this, Harry, and I'm sorry if I'm rambling. That's the part that wants her to remember. The other part is telling me that it will only lead to no good. Ruin everything. Tear it to shreds."

            Harry's thoughts exactly.

            "So, I decided not to bring it up unless she does." Ron leans back to relax in his chair.

            Harry looks down at the floor for a second and instantly destroys all of his bad thoughts. "Ron, tell her."

            "What? Why?"

            "From what I know about Hermione, you should. She knows what's best for her and for her friends. Tell her, and she'll give you the answer that's best for her…and you." Harry says.

            There was no time for little chat like that. Mostly because Hermione had come back over to join them.

            "Are you feeling any better, Ron?" She asks.

            Ron stumbled at first, but finally found his voice. "Uh, yeah! I took some medicine."

            "Good." She smiles.

            Laurel comes bounding up. "Did you guys hear that? Joel is going to be alright! I'm so happy."

            "That's great." The three say.

            Hermione leaves to go talk with Madame Pomfrey, so Laurel steps closer to the two boys to have a quick talk before she returned.

            "Well, everything is back to normal?" 

            They both nod.

            Laurel smiles mischievously. "You know, Christmas is ever so near. I received my present early. How about you?"

            They look at her a little confused. She sighs.

            "Sometimes when people don't know what to get you, you have to show them. Or just get it yourself, but that isn't any fun."

            "You're on mushrooms," Ron says.

            "Off your rocker." Harry agrees.

            "God, nobody can use reverse psychology anymore!" Laurel groans. "Well, that wasn't really considered reverse psychology, but it's close. I'm rambling."

            "Obviously." Harry and Ron say.

            Laurel smiles. "I'm so glad to have you two back. You all looked so solemn and glum just a while ago. Be happy! Enjoy life! It's not just a pile of crap left on your doorstep."

            "Are you going to tell him?" Harry asks out of the blue. "Joel."

            Laurel looses her smile for a while. "I'm not sure anymore."

            "Ha!" Ron points up at Harry from his sitting position. "Don't just give me shit about being a coward."

            Harry shakes his head and smacks his forehead with the palm of his hand. "My efforts are futile."

            "Damn straight!" Ron answers.

            "Don't give me that." Harry spits back.

            "Stop fighting you two." Laurel tries to stop them.

            "See what I have to put up with?" Hermione comes back. "Want to take my job?"

            "Eh, no," Laurel replies. "I have two boys of my own to take care of."

            "You act as if you're our babysitters." Ron says.

            "We are." Laurel and Hermione say and snicker once. 

            Yes, everything was back to normal. Harry looks out the window and watches the snow slowly fall to the December ground that was already fitted with a thick blanket of white. Christmas was coming, and nothing was better than Christmas at Hogwarts. Now that they had Hermione back and Laurel at their side too, it will possibly be one of the best. All the trauma was over. No more potions. There were still the matters of the heart, but those would play out in time. The heart is a stubborn creature, but once you get it moving, it's hard to stop. 


End file.
